bullant on bullant
Myrmecia forficata (?) The victim here is the same species as the attacker. Although not dead it was clearly being hauled away by the tenacious aggressor … reluctantly but inexorably.
a better year for males of this species
Lissopimpla excelsa
This male is resting and preening – and with no Cryptostylis orchids flowering this year, his life is probably more productive than it might have otherwise been.
[to see what distracted these wasps a year ago, revisit Paul’s “Sexual deception” blog of Dec 2020 - link]
sand wasps are still breeding
Austrogorytes (?). The females stock their underground nests with paralysed leafhoppers. She closes the burrow entrance when she’s off hunting, so has to dig it open each time she returns with a bug.
a species I got to know well last year
Sphodrotes. This male is displaying the behaviour typical of the species: perched atop a low plant; antennae waving; turning this way and that; attentive to all comers – females, rivals and threats. Female Sphodrotes stock their underground nests with paralysed shield bugs.
[to read more, see my 2020 blog “More wasp diggings” – link]
female flower wasp awaiting a male
Female flower wasps are often grabbed by males the moment they emerge from the soil. But on occasion she will be forced to wait … and she does this atop a low plant, emitting pheromones into the breeze. She needs a male to carry her if she is to access a nectar feed. Once fed, she’ll head back underground in pursuit of a beetle grub to feed her next larva.
for future study
Clitemnestra, another sand wasp (Bembicinae), this one a male on alert for females or rival males. Little is known about the biology of these wasps but they probably also hunt leafhoppers. I plan to take a closer look at this species some time soon.