![]() ![]() Even its name is insidious, speaking to targeted murder and nothing more. One wasp that gets a particularly bad rap is the eastern cicada killer, one of our larger and scarier insects. While I’m not saying we need welcome every wasp with open arms (we should sometimes keep a distance), our generalized hatred for them is misplaced. They are incredibly diverse, overlooked, and, in some cases, simply beautiful! Additionally, wasps engage in many unique behaviors, and although we may find some to be disturbing and alien they speak to a rich evolutionary history. In fact, wasps (suborder A pocrita, of which yellowjackets are a member) are some of the most remarkable insects around. While I will not pretend to enjoy spending time with, say, yellowjackets ( shudder), I do recognize their right to existence, and find their natural history fascinating. Think of the aisles of any lawn-care store, and the endless bottles of poison directed at ants, wasps, and hornets… many people might be content to see these insects wiped from the face of the earth. Bees may be tolerated, but the rest of the order are usually classed as pests. In my post on bees I presented an overview of order Hymenoptera, which includes bees, ants, and wasps. ![]() Most other insects are not as beneficial, and there is, unfortunately, often a price on their head. Dragonflies keep their distance, and are a known check on much-hated mosquitoes bees, while feared for their sting, are at least respected for their essential roles as pollinators. These insects, while certainly not cuddly, at least escape most conventional disdain directed towards the class. I’ve written about insects now twice during this blog series, profiling a dragonfly ( seaside dragonlet) and bees. Hello everyone! Welcome back to local wildlife weekly. For more Digital Seaside Center content, click here. ![]() This is part of the 2020 Digital Seaside Center. ![]()
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