Ladybug Picnic

On my knees in the damp earth, I found where the ladybugs had been overwintering. I had been weeding the strawberry bed, the one in which the berries hadn't filled in completely and other plants were competing for space. As I reached for a large dandelion, my hand brushed a dry strawberry leaf, and a burst of pink and black burbled from the soil and surrounding foliage. Beautiful beetles! I was so happy to see them, for their presence means that there was plenty of food for them to thrive last year, and they will be helping me keep garden pests under control this year. This variety of lady beetle eats pollen, too, and there is no shortage of blooming plants in our area. I see the presence of healthy predator insects as a sign that my ecosystem is also in good condition; otherwise, fewer predators could be supported. Along with the multitude of Carolina mantis egg cases, busy little wolf spiders no bigger than a pencil eraser, and ground beetles, these ladybugs excite me and help me look forward to warm days surrounded by many of my favorite insect friends!

Paean for the Insects

A couple of years ago, I wrote this song to celebrate the return of the insects in the springtime. Those of you who know me personally can ask me to sing you the tune!


Welcome back, O glorious insects!
Bring your beauties to the earth.
We have missed your flying splendors-
We have longed for your return.

Bless us with your creeping wisdoms,
Heal us with your Spring rebirth,
Free us from our Winter's solace;
Join with us, together to learn!

Avoiding Japanese Hornets

I was asked how to avoid coming into contact with the largest hornet in the world, Vespa mandarinia, otherwise known as the Japanese or Asian hornet. These gigantic beauties measure about 2 inches long for their bodies and have a 3 inch wingspan. Their stings can be very painful, sometimes requiring hospitalization! As with most hornets, one should be careful not to approach their nests, which typically would be found high up in trees or sometimes in the eaves of a house. Since these big wasps prey upon other Hymenoptera species, you might want to stay away from beeyards and other places wasps or bees congregate. The Vespa mandarinia are much more interested in their prey than they are in you, so if you do see one (in a garden, for instance), remember to just back slowly away. Screaming, waving one's arms about wildly, or other sudden movements may alarm the wasp and make it think you are threatening it. Even if a wasp lands on you, your best policy is to move slowly, hold still, and wait for it to figure out you are not tasty. Unfortunately, habitat loss is encouraging the wasps to forage in human environments. Since the yellow-jacket type wasps are attracted to human garbage (sweet leftover soda in cans, bits of meat from sandwiches, and the like), more Asian hornets have begun hunting in suburbia. If you wish to avoid contact with them, be sure not to linger near trash cans or leave your picnic goods untended. I hope that was helpful! Let me know if you have any more questions about Vespa mandarinia, and I'll do my best to find the answers.

Oh, and just in case you find these beasties threatening and horrible, realize that some humans do prize them for their performance-enhancing "juice". This is an enzyme produced by the larvae to encourage their parents to feed them! Some folks use it as a sports drink or weight loss aid!

In the meantime, here are the websites I researched for this article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asian_giant_hornet
http://www.vespa-crabro.de/vespa-mandarinia.htm
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/article582267.ece
http://www.ehow.com/video_4755679_where-do-japanese-hornets-build.html
http://nutrition.suite101.com/article.cfm/giant_wasp_enzymes_enhance_endurance

The Insect Advocate at Hatrack River Forums

Once upon a time, I used to advocate for insects on Hatrack River. Here are links to some of the old threads, if they still work...

http://www.hatrack.com/cgi-bin/ubbmain/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=2;t=041289;p=1&r=nfx

http://www.hatrack.com/cgi-bin/ubbmain/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=2;t=016068;p=1&r=nfx

http://www.hatrack.com/cgi-bin/ubbmain/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=2;t=033161;p=1&r=nfx

That was a nice little trip down memory lane!

Bee Update

The hive we have been feeding is alive and well! When we checked on the girls about a week ago, they were swarming with vitality. New young bees were everywhere! They were bringing back pollen and presumably nectar, probably from the maple trees. The pollen is a very creamy color, almost white. Although we did a lot in the hive, the girls remained relatively calm. Beekeepers the world over have talked and sung to their girls while working the hive, and I am no exception. I kept up a friendly patter, even though my husband thinks it's unneccessary and unscientific. I was just so delighted to greet them! A healthy laying pattern was observed in the brood box, and our queen looked robust. We swapped the hive bodies, putting the brood on the bottom. Soon we will be looking for the right window of opportunity to attempt raising another queen and creating a new hive. Feeding during the roughest part of late winter/early spring appears to be a Very Good Idea.

Lost Hive

I keep bees, and am sad to report that one hive didn't make it through the winter. They didn't have enough honey put by to keep them alive. It's sad to bear witness to their last moments, frozen in time. The poor girls are deep in the cells, trying to scrape out the last bits of honey so that they will have enough energy to keep themselves warm. Bees are a hive organism, and no individual honeybee can survive long on its own. They need each other. And, it appears, they sometimes need beekeepers. Our other hive is also struggling, but my beekeeping partner has rigged up a temporary feeding station inside an unused box. We set up two feeders of sugar water, and the bees are certainly using them. We also ordered pollen packets and queen rearing supplies so that we can attempt to strengthen this remaining hive and perhaps breed more queens and hives off of it.

Insects of Utah

For my first loyal follower, I've done a little research to find what sorts of insect friends you can expect to see when the snows dissolve. This page has links to some insect collections with native Utah insects. Looks like you have some lovely Hymenoptera and mimics. I hope you find some of your favorites!

http://www.surweb.org/search/collections_imatrix.asp

Missing My Friends

It's deep in Winter where I live. I miss my little insect friends. To me, their emergence is the true first sign of spring.

Gossamer Day

Last Thursday was Gossamer Day in the woods. It was a beautiful warm day, rare for November, and the sun was shining cheerily. My family went walking, and soon found ourselves wrapped in spiderwebs. I turned around, facing sunwards, and saw that the entire wood was filled with shining silver thread, running horizontal to the ground. It was mysterious and beautiful. I wonder why there was so much of it. Was it spiders or caterpillars? I never did find out. All I know is that it was a moment of rare beauty and I was glad to have experienced it.

Bugs in my Dreams

A week or two ago, I dreamed that a scorpion was in my clothes. However, in my dream, I knew that if I didn't alarm it, it wouldn't sting me. It tickled as I tried to help it find its way out, but its stinger was held flat behind it and not held over its body to sting.

Last night, I dreamed that a mantis with a funny-shaped head, rather like a seed beetle, bit me. It was underfoot in a house my family was building. I noticed it at first and brought it to the attention of my little sister (still a child in my dream). Then we forgot about it, and it turned and bit me. I woke up, and my leg was still itching where it got me.

I have the feeling something's trying to get my attention!