great golden digger wasp (Sphex ichneumoneus) on Virginia mountain mint at Decorah Prairie IA 653A8686

            This great golden digger wasp would definitely get your attention if you found one out in the field for they are big and bold and brightly colored in orange and black. Notice the fuzzy golden hairs on its head and thorax. Females dig a deep burrow in the ground with several side chambers and then they go hunting for katydids. Katydids are not small bugs but these powerful great golden digger wasp females can fly back to their nest site with a katydid in tow.  One paralyzed katydid gets put in each side chamber nest cell and an egg is laid on it. When all the cells are full (up to ten) she plugs the tunnel entrance and abandons the area. Upon hatching, the great golden digger wasp larvae consume their large katydid lunches, pupate over the winter and pop out as fresh adults now in late summer when katydids come out to sing at night.
   

Taken in: United States / Iowa / Decorah Township / Decorah (show map)

Taken on: August 4, 2020

Tags:

digger

wasp

ichneumoneus

Virginia

mountain

mint

Decorah

Prairie

Winneshiek

County

Iowa

Larry

Reis « less

Camera: Canon EOS 7D Mark II, f/11.0, 1/500 sec, 100mm, ISO 400 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Canon EOS 7D Mark II
Aperture:	f/11.0
Exposure Time:	0.002 sec (1/500)
Focal Length:	100mm
ISO:	400
Exposure Bias:	+1 EV
Flash:	Off, Did not fire
Exposure Program:	Shutter speed priority AE
Exposure Mode:	Auto
Metering Mode:	Multi-segment
White Balance:	Auto
Color Space:	sRGB
Show full info

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