Great

As in Great Black Wasp, Sphex Pensylvanicus, one of the largest of the solitary wasps in the US.  These big, gentle wasps are closely related to my favorites, the Great Golden Diggers (see HERE - July 15).  Like the Golden diggers, they also excavate their nests in the ground and provision  each chamber with a katydid.  One egg is placed in each "host" which will feed the growing larva until it is ready to emerge next summer.  Adult wasps only feed on nectar and are excellent pollinators in any garden.  They have a marked preference for mountain mint which is almost always where I find them in my garden. I am fairly certain this is a male because it was only about an inch long whereas the females would be a bit larger.  I did see a much larger one a few days ago.  

As a solitary wasp (meaning that they do not nest in groups) they don't have any programming to protect a colony; hence they are not at all aggressive.  As with all wasps, males are incapable of stinging; and female solitary wasps will only sting if they are handled roughly or if you stick your hand/finger into their nest.  We humans seem to be conditioned to fear wasps, but the reality is that the vast majority of wasp species are extremely docile and represent almost no danger whatsoever to humans.  (Exceptions being paper wasps and hornets who have the "hive-mentality".)

Okay, enough with the entomology lesson for today.  I am always hopeful that I can convince at least a few people to look at wasps differently, to see that they really are beautiful creatures just going about their business.  

Jax has been very lazy today, happy to nap on the deck when I'm outside or on the sofa (as he is now).  I'm sure we'll pay for this later.  Last night when I deflated the airbed and started folding it up to put it back in its carrying bag, he decided that it was a dire threat.  He hackled up and commenced barking and growling at it - and nothing would convince him that we weren't about to be attacked.  He never fails to entertain.

Had another Monarch butterfly depositing eggs around the garden today.  There are so many little cats and eggs now out there!  Normally, I'd be bringing many of them into containers to keep them safe, but since we are leaving for a week, I am just letting nature run its course.  Some of the eggs and little cats will be eaten and some will be parasitized, but some will survive and likely leave eggs that will end up being the migratory generation.  When I'm back from SC, I will get my containers out and be on the hunt for eggs.  And I will, as always, dedicate each released butterfly in the memory of someone who is gone.  Requests always welcome.

Okay, off to load some things into the RV!  Then maybe Jax and I will take a trip to the pet store just for fun.

I think dark with ginger today.

xo
Debbi