Digging Wasps

A number of other insect species occur in and around both sites. Some may just use the same very local environment, but others have intricate ecological relationships with the digging wasps.

At least two ant species enter the holes of the colonies (left). In the lower image, three ants are carrying a bee that appears to be the same species caught by Philanthus. In this image, an ant is close at hand as Philanthus stings a prey bee.

On the right, two unidentified wasps. The wasp in the upper image, photographed at the Dungeness site, is carrying prey. The wasp in the lower image was photographed at the college site.

I observed and photographed two nesting leafcutting bees at the college site. leafcutting bee movie

Leafcutter and Cuckoo | Another leafcutting bee

I also collected some hymenopteran species that I could not photograph in the field.

small, dark wasp (observed flying and on the sand)

large-jawed wasp (netted flying)