Cicada killers are large predatory wasps that hunt cicada in order to paralyze them to be placed in chambers as a food source for their young. Areas that are typically inhabited by cicada killer wasps are typically ones with well drained soil near trees or shrubs where cicadas are present with a sandy loose soil. […]
More than 55 species of velvet ants inhabit Colorado and at least one or another of the velvet ants can be found in most areas of the state with the exclusion of higher elevations. Lower elevations of open fields of prairie short grass in both eastern and western Colorado are common habitats in which to […]
The golden digger wasp is a solitary wasp common in many areas of North America as well as south into Mexico, Central America, South America and other areas of the Caribbean. Size ranges from over ½ inch to up to 2 inches in some reported sightings. Golden digger wasps have large amber colored wings that […]
Solitary wasps whose common name comes from the mud nests they construct out of mud. Mud daubers have slender, threadlike waists. Typically ½ to 1 inch in length, these wasps are typically very placid unless handled roughly. Nests are often located in barns, garages and under the eaves of houses in urban setting where as […]
Adult bumble bees are large at roughly ¾ inch in length. They have black with yellow or orange colored hair patterns on their abdomen giving them a very fuzzy appearance. Both queens and workers have pollen baskets on their hind legs that are utilized in carrying pollen back to the nest. Females are capable of […]
Found across a majority of the United States and Canada, baldfaced hornets are not a ‘true’ hornet, they are an aerial yellowjacket. The only ‘true’ hornet in North America is the European hornet, which is an accidentally introduced species. The baldfaced hornet’s name comes from the white to ivory colored markings on its face. Ivory […]
Western yellowjackets are a ground or cavity nesting species common in Colorado. A medium sized wasp, western yellowjackets are black with uneven bright yellow bands. They have a narrowed, waist-like appearance where the thorax and abdomen meet. Mated queens overwinter reemerging in the late winter to early spring to begin feeding and building a new […]
It is not uncommon for clients to ask for referrals to beekeepers for swarms and/or colonies of honeybees that have taken up residence. We are happy to provide referrals in these cases as we understand the concern that is circulating concerning the declining number of honeybees. We also receive calls each year from beekeepers offering […]
Swarming is a honey bee colony’s method of reproduction. Most commonly occurring in spring, the old queen and approximately half of her workers leave the current nest and fly off in search of a new home in which to build a nest. Scouts fly around the general vicinity of the old nest in their search […]
