Lots of cool wildlife to see at Drumlin Farm this week. Here's a smattering of photos, most of which remind me how much I want a better camera.( Read more... )
Weird about the wasps. I know the bee populations are in rapid decline, but last night a friend was telling me that the park he jogs at is suddenly overwhelmed with them and part of the parking garage at his work was shut down because a huge population has developed there. Any chance you can post an entry talking about the whole bee situation?
Also, there is no way I could pick up a wasp in a million years. I'm breaking out in a cold sweat even thinking about it.
Part of the confusion is that the widely reported decline is limited (I believe) to the honeybee species.
It's easy to get the impression that all stinging insects are disappearing, but (sorry to say, apiphobes) that's not the case. The "park suddenly overwhelmed with them" may be suffering from a sudden appearance of yellowjackets. The parking garage incident does sound like honeybees. The fact that the population of them is in decline doesn't mean that they're totally gone.
The reason the media is going nuts over it, is that there are commercial concerns involved.
Part of the reason for the seeming explosion in vespids *could* be related to the fairly mild winter that we had. If relatively few died while overwintering the population will be higher than normal.
"This is not a stinging insect, but mimics one for protection. This is a hover fly (family Syrphidae) in a rare moment of rest. I shot about a dozen pictures, and this is the only one that's halfway decent. They have evolved some of the most maneuverable flight of all the animals, flying sideways and backwards and holding perfectly still in the air in ways that would dazzle a hummingbird."
This is such a good example of how well you write, getting across the science in conversational terms.
Aw all these bugs are so cute! I love that little carrion beetle, and the wasp is cool looking too...also the hover fly! What a good bug to mimic... Love the cute little snake and the little frog! :) And that spider wrapping the ant! AWesome...;)
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Also, there is no way I could pick up a wasp in a million years. I'm breaking out in a cold sweat even thinking about it.
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It's easy to get the impression that all stinging insects are disappearing, but (sorry to say, apiphobes) that's not the case. The "park suddenly overwhelmed with them" may be suffering from a sudden appearance of yellowjackets. The parking garage incident does sound like honeybees. The fact that the population of them is in decline doesn't mean that they're totally gone.
The reason the media is going nuts over it, is that there are commercial concerns involved.
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Just a guess.
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This is such a good example of how well you write, getting across the science in conversational terms.
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Love the cute little snake and the little frog! :)
And that spider wrapping the ant! AWesome...;)
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