Tootfinder

was gonna go out on bike. started to dot with rain though. got this snap before i went back indoors.
watermelons don't seem to have loads of black pips nowadays. they just have a few yellow ones instead. they don't taste good neither. wasps still like them though.
#wasps

Here's a close-up of a male Eurytoma. It's the most common chalcid species emerging from my cache of beetle-infested redbud seeds. #inaturalist #eurytoma #wasps https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/354257214

Tiny pteromalid, possibly Dinarmus basilis, that emerged from my collection of eastern redbud seeds. The species is a known parasitoid of the bruchid that eats these seeds. #wasps #dinarmus #insects #chalcidoidea #redbud #bruchidae #beetles #entomology #nature #biology

FINALLY, something new has popped out of the eastern redbud seeds that I've been monitoring for months. It's metallic green and small enough to be a hyperparasitoid, I think. Will share better pic after I can get some sort of rough ID from BugGuide. #wasps #hymenoptera #parasitoid #redbud #entomology #nature #insects

Some Dinarmus (Pteromalidae) and Eurytoma (Eurytomidae) that emerged from my collection of eastern redbud seeds. Both are known parasitoids of the redbud seed weevil (Gibbobruchus mimus) but I'm hopeful that something unexpected will pop out one of these days. E.g., a hyperparasitoid. #redbud #wasps #chalcidoidea #insects #nature #biology #hymenoptera #entomology

Here's a different male showing off his unfurled antennal setae, chemically tuned to pick up pheromones from females. #wasps #eurytoma #chalcidoidea #antennae

Last fall I stuffed several hundred eastern redbud seeds into pharmaceutical gel caps, then waited for parasitic wasps to emerge so that I could take photographs. #blog #wasps #insects #parasites #nature #redbud #beetles #hymenoptera #macro #macrophotography #entomology https://colinpurrington.com/2026/06/wasps-emerging-from-eastern-redbud-seeds/

I've been documenting the insects that emerge from eastern redbud seeds, and these two chalcids popped out today. On the left is Eurytoma sp. and on the right is Eupelmus pulchriceps. Both wasps hovered around me for a good 10 seconds or so after I blew them off. One came back and landed in the same spot. Goodbyes are hard. #wasps #insects #hymenoptera #biology #cercis #redbud #nature #chalcidoidea

Nature fans: the spring Gall Week starts May 2nd! URL has details on how to participate on iNaturalist, plus links to an excellent podcast featuring Adam Kranz. #nature #biology #inaturalist #cynipidae #galls #insects #mites #wasps https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/257180/journal/129848

Egg of a redbud seed weevil (Gibbobruchus mimus) glued to the edge of a seedpod. I've been taking photographs just in case it's possible to see when they are parasitized by fairy wasps (Mymaridae). Likely futile. #bruchidae #beetle #insect #coleoptera #nature #macro #redbud #wasps #macrophotography

Patiently waiting for insects to show up at my puddling station. #bees #wasps #mud #clay #soil #water #insects

Allantus viennensis (Tenthredinidae) foraging for nectar on a peony flower bud. This is one of several sawfly species that spends its larval days defoliating my roses. They also eat Rubus so I'll be watching my blackberries and raspberries carefully. Originally from Europe. #sawflies #hymenoptera #insects #nature #wasps #macrophotography #roses #rosa #symphyta #rubus