Category: Insects

Bald-faced-Hornet : Dolichovespula-maculata.

2015-May14-Bald-faced-Hornet Dolichovespula-maculata.
Bald-faced-Hornet : Dolichovespula-maculata

This one showed up on our deck window this morning. Caution: These wasps are very aggressive when defending their paper-house nest.

Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Vespidae
Genus: Dolichovespula
Species: D. maculata

Dolichovespula maculata (Linnaeus, 1763)

Eastern Yellow jacket wasp : Vespula pensylvanica

I had not seen this very large wasp until today. Now I realize it is an Eastern Yellow-jacket wasp (Vespula pensylvanica). At this time of years , the queen, the only one to survive the winter, emerges from her overwintering spot and starts to organize for establishing a colony.

easternyellowjacket-wasp

An Easter yellow-jacket wasp seeking nectar in a rhododendron
An Easter yellow-jacket wasp seeking nectar in a rhododendron

Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Suborder: Apocrita
Family: Vespidae
Genus: Vespula
Subgenus: (Paravespula)
Species: V. pensylvanica
Binomial name
Vespula pensylvanica Saussure, 1857

Pond Dwellers September 2014

Dragon Fly laying eggs
Dragon Fly laying eggs under a lilypad
water lily
water lily


This video taken ( It will take a few moments to load) in September 2014 shows the hovering-orbital dance of the Mayfly — They belong to the Order Ephemeropterafrom the Greek ephemeros= short lived, as they complete their adult part of the life cycle out of the water in a day. Be sure to click on the arrow on the upper right to see in full screen detail.