This fall a stink bug laid it's eggs on our patio door. It gave me an opportunity to watch them to see if they would hatch. Luckily I looked at the eggs right after they hatched.
I could see there were a couple more ready to hatch. The buggy things grow up and come in the house during winter. They don't hurt anything. They are just an annoyance.
The spiders are making themselves noticeable this fall. I don't think there are as many as usual. Of course I blame everything on the drought. Ha...I don't know for sure. I have never counted them. This one right outside my office window caught my attention. An unassuming bumble bee got caught in this web.
The owner dashed out and proceeded to attack it. I watched wondering if the spider would wrap it up in it's webbing. It didn't. The spider ran all around it seemingly attacking until the bumble gave up. Then unfortunately the web broke and the bumble fell to the ground. I hope something gained from this bumble's death.
All this got me to thinking about the up close look we got of a wasp's nest we had this summer. The wasps were made several nests in the folds of our umbrella. I couldn't leave them there. I was afraid that every time I cranked up the umbrella we would be attacked. There was a small nest in two of the folds of the umbrella. It was becoming a wasp hotel.
If you look close you can see an egg in one of the cells and several stages of larvae. I thought this was most interesting. I haven't been that close to a wasp nest before.
Have you had any unusual bug sightings in your garden this summer/fall?
Oh thank goodness I haven't had ANY bug sightings except the occasional fly or two.
ReplyDeleteThose stink bugs are pretty in a buggy kind of way.
Wasps are scary but the wasp-free paper nests are pretty cool.
Really GREAT pictures Lisa!!
Loved this closeup look at bugs. Nature can be gross, but always cool. I'm having a terrible time with a wasp nest in an eave outside my front door. It's making me crazy, and they stung me on my ear twice! We don't have as many spiders this year either. I don't know why. There was one spider in my greenhouse most of late summer. I enjoyed watching her. ~~Dee
ReplyDeleteYikes! These guys were all really up close. We have some kind of bees or wasps that seemed to be going into the house wall by the back door early in the season but then they disappeared. We are hoping they are not going to appear this winter indoors!
ReplyDeleteWow, we have a ton of bugs flying around right now! Pinchy ladybugs, and lots of paper wasps looking for cracks in the brick to spend the winter in --or, to crawl through somehow into the house. It seems to happen every spring --we find sleepy wasps crawling along the floor. We also have had the most amazing gnat outbreak! Screens are covered with them, and when I swept the porch there were literally piles of dead gnats.
ReplyDeleteWe've never had stink bugs --that's a very cool shot, through the window. What a strange place for them to lay eggs!
How fascinating! I really enjoyed this post. Like you, I always try to keep things as they are in nature, unless humans are in danger or, in the case of the Monarchs, a species needs extra help. I've never seen stink bugs hatch, but I have noticed many more of them this fall for some reason. You asked if we'd seen any unusual bugs lately. Yes, I have. I've been thinking about doing a post about it, so maybe I will. Also, the other day I saw a Mourning Cloak butterfly preparing a place in our rock wall for its hibernation. It was fascinating to watch. Great post!
ReplyDeleteThese are great photos, Lisa. While I have become more fascinated by insects, I'm not sure I would have left the stinkbug eggs alone--they can really be pests indoors.
ReplyDeleteThose stink bugs are really neat--from a distance. You got some really good shots of them and they are really interesting, but I am not too sure I'd leave them be since they are considered pests I believe. I too have an issue with wasps in my umbrella. I have to open it each morning and shake them out. I guess they go there to stay out of the elements and there have been little nests as well. I haven't looked at them close tho. Bees have larva like this in their honeycomb that I've seen and it makes sense wasps would too I just never thought to look at it. Good catch! The last time I opened my umbrella about six wasps fell out including the queen. Queens are normally longer and more distinctive. I promptly killed her and hope they won't come back now that it is getting late in the season.
ReplyDeleteGreat images Lisa.
ReplyDeleteI love the stink bugs particularly......also the wasp nest with grubs enclosed.
Poor bumble.....I do so hate to see bees caught in webs.
I know the spider needs to eat but can't he stick to flies :)
Bugs are so fascinating gross, aren't they? I also wanted to say--Hey! You've got my Odvart! (the concrete statue I also have that is featured in so many of my photos). Good taste.
ReplyDeleteWasps nesting in an umbrella! That would be pretty unnerving.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fascinating post! You had me on the edge of my seat! Poor bee, awful to die for nothing. I loved the stink bugs, I've never heard of them before.xxx
ReplyDeleteCool bugs! It always does my heart good when someone doesn't grab a can of bug spray upon first sight of an insect. ;-)
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