I think wasp might come under Hymenoptera. Diptera is flies.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hymenoptera
I think Brachonids will be very difficult to ID, but you might be lucky.
I am a little concerned that these will need some form of sustenace, you might end up with a jar full of dead insects.
Anyone know what this is?
Yes, take the photos and release them. Or they will die. And, as Wallaby said, wasps are under Hymenoptera. It might not be too hard to ID this particular one, since it has what appears to be an unusual communal pupa case, and it preys on this particular caterpillar. A good entomologist should be able to pull it all together....
This message was edited Nov 15, 2007 11:17 PM
yep...I was just thinking 2 wings...my mistake.
I understand the need to have a healthy ecosystem, and all are important. But, with all of the shots of the poor caterpillars in that link above, http://mothphotographersgroup.msstate.edu/Files/Live/BP/MothTalk/MothTalk015.htm
I would tighten the lid....sorry!
This message was edited Nov 15, 2007 8:24 PM
Melody, thank you for the quick tutorial on digital camera 101!!!
I did play with the camera little bit tonight after I got some fresh batteries. I tried to take a couple pictures, but they still were not coming out all that great in the house. I will try to capture the escape hatches on the little cocoons tomorrow in the daylight, outdoor daytime photos come out so much better. Maybe now, armed with my new dialing skills on the camera, I can really capture the fine details!
When I saw the wasps were hatching this morning, I brought the jar, which wasn't covered at all since I didn't want to suffocate the thing, from the lanai to out in the yard. Some of the wasps were already crawling on the screen in the lanai. I don't know if they were small enough to squeeze through the holes. I may find some deads ones in the corner. Maybe I can photo one of them?!
All the ones in and on the jar, and those that hadn't hatched, were left to their own devices after I left for work. When I came home at lunch the cocoon mass was completely empty.
I did put the jar on the opposite side of the yard from the butterfly garden!
I'm hoping that Mr Santana will be able to identify the species of wasp so that we can complete this mission! I'm going to email him a few more of Lucy's photos and the pne of freshly hatched cocoon, maybe that will help him out.
Cathy
I've tried several times to take pictures of the empty cocoon, but even with the macro setting, I'm not really able to capture the "escape hatches" very well. I can hear the camera whirring and buzzing, trying to focus in on that fuzzy cocoon, but the pictures just aren't very clear. Probably operator error.
I din't find any of the little wasps in the lanai, I guess they were able to escape through the screen.
Another pic
Final pic
I know, it's really hard to get really close...huh? You did good tho. I can see the dark spots on the cocoon.
~Lucy
Thanks Lucy. On the middle picture at 5:57, you can see right through the cocoon in one spot. If you have the cocoon in your hand and move it, you can see through all the little holes that go right through. It's cool.
Maybe you have a cocoon that hasn't hatched yet and you'll have better luck than me at photo'ing one of the wasps.
All my cocoons disappeared, but another one formed yesterday, right over a caterpillar. I got a couple of pictures, let me download my camera. Be right back.
~Lucy
Here is the first picture. It shows the caterpillar being enclosed in the cocoon. I felt sorry for him, but nothing I could do at this point. I guess that's nature.
~Lucy
Here is a closeup of the caterpillars head. Maybe this will help on it's identification.
By today, he was completely covered with the cocoon. Yesterday, his head and tail end was still sticking out.
~Lucy
The head usually just has what looks like a small dot on it, but I guess later on it starts looking like one eyeball on the top of his head.
I can hardly stand to look at the above picture. It's freaky to me.
~Lucy
Yes, those are certainly what nightmares are made of! Wow, you realy outdid yourself on those pictures, they are excellent.
I'm hoping that the entomologist calls me back this week. It is Thanksgiving week, so I'm not holding my breath, but I will continue to try and contact him. I think he is the best shot for an id.
Cathy
I was amazed the last picture turned out so well. I had to stand on my tiptoes with arms outstretched to reach that leaf. lol
I may try to raise one on the caterpillars if I find another. That may help.
~Lucy
That's a dead ringer for the ello sphinx moth that fly_girl pointed out earlier!!
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/p.php?pid=4196310
One eyed-pyrate moth!!!! So coooool.
Kim
Sure is. : )
Before, during the stages I have seen it, it didn't have that eye on it. But now, that I have seen the eye it makes.... I agree.
O.K. We now know that the caterpillar is a Ello Sphinx Moth -- Erinnyis ello
~Lucy
Yay, I will add that bit of info to pass on to Mr. Entomologist!
Good job fly_girl & ceejay!
Lucy, do you have many papayas growing on your garden?
Cathy
Cathy, I have a grand total of 4 papayas trees in my yard, in different places. 3 with fruit, and 1 without. I just started growing them this year.
I may or may not keep them. Altho, predator wasps are probably good to have, They may not be good for my butterflies. I am hoping that these wasps only prey on papaya Ello Sphinx caterpillars..
~Lucy
I completely understand! Papayas aren't my favorite either and if I have to choose between the two, the butterflies would come first! Many friends have papaya plants and an abundance of fruit, the wasps can visit their yards.
With Melody's tutelage, I was able to take this nice shot of a Polydamas caterpillar on the pipevine earlier. When I went out later and tried again, unfortunately I wasn't able to convince the camera to take any more nice pics of the Monarch cat on the milkweed. I will persevere!
Cathy
Look at that fella just a munching away! I've a second G.F. to eclose today. I'm so happyyyyyyyyyyyy.
Oooh! Great job Cathy!
Gotta love the Polydamas. They eat right through the stems. I kept yelling at mine and telling them how wasteful they were. I had all these leaves lying on the ground and they just kept munching the stems. BTW, this has been a very interesting thread. I learned something new!
Melanie
Hahahaha, Mellie, have you ever watched a Tersa munching down on the Pentas? A real neat eater I tell ya. It eats cleanly, leaves, stems and all. I watched one and I concluded it's a good "house keeper" for after it finished, there isn't any thing left to clean up after. :-)
Haven't seen any of those. I like how my zebra ST cats molt and eat their skin afterward. Anything I don't have to clean up is good!
looks like silk worm cocoons see pic from China
