An Auplopus female gathers a clump of damp sand. Spider wasps in this genus construct mud nests, usuallly attached to an object. I am still looking for this wasp's nest — it may be underneath a rock. Stay tuned. #spiderwasps #beneficialinsects #wasplove

The large black cherry that fell in our yard had several types of wasps nesting in the dry, rotting core including an Ectemnius (possibly E. cephalotes), Crossocerus annulipes, and a Pemphredon (not shown). See photos of prey (flies and leafhoppers). #wasplove #wasps #crabronid

My friend Angela Grill emailed me about some bicolored striped striped sweat bees (Agapostemon virescens) nesting in the lawn at her workplace. A communal nest with four separate tumuli. Photos of nest guard and female departing. #bees #pollinators #nativebees #nests

We got Pollinators of Native Plants by Heather Holm in the mail today and it is such an amazing book. Just so much incredible information with amazing pictures and tips/best practices/instructions. Super excited haha

Loving the positive press #wasps are getting this summer!! Heather Holm Thanks National Wildlife Federation Laura Tangley! Reconsidering Wasps nwf.org/Magazines/Nati… #wasplove Royal Entomological Society

Wasp photos taken Thursday including another observation of Zethus spinipes, a recent arrival to MN. Photo 1) Zethus spinipes spinipes Photo 2) Parancistrocerus leionotus Photo 3) Episyron biguttatus Photo 4) Ancistrocerus adiabatus #WaspLove #nativeplants #beneficialinsects

A Myzinum quinquecinctum female (five-banded thynnid wasp) sips on some nectar from common boneset. This parasitoid wasp lays its eggs on white grubs (scarab beetle larvae) located belowground. Check out my new fact sheet about this #wasp: tinyurl.com/eytntytv #wasplove #wasps

Andrena hirticincta (hairy-banded mining bee) is a pollen specialist of Asteraceae. I know fall is approaching when I see these ladies out foraging for pollen on asters and goldenrods. The female pictured here is visiting big-leaved aster (Eurybia macrophylla). #bees #Andrena

I have been working on some new flower-associated wasp fact sheets for common species occurring in central and eastern North America! Several are now available to download from my author website here: pollinatorsnativeplants.com/plant-lists--p… More to come when time permits 🙂 #wasps #WaspLove

My latest video features the fraternal potter wasp (Eumenes fraternus), the amazing architect of jug-shaped mud nests! youtube.com/watch?v=-BDMUU… #wasps #wasplove

Latest video on my YouTube channel features the unequal cellophane bee (Colletes inaequalis). This bee species is active in early spring—as early as the end of March in MN. Watch the video to learn more about this bee's natural history: youtube.com/watch?v=mf9BbN… #bees #pollinators

My latest storymap titled Signs of Spring, features the unequal cellophane bee (Colletes inaequalis). Learn more about the natural history of this early spring solitary bee and the native plants it depends on: arcg.is/1K0v4y #bees #pollinators #nativeplants

"It turns out I’ve been filling my yard with a mix of ecological junk food and horticultural terrorists." 😆 wapo.st/3KmL8rC

Join CWF April 11th as Heather Holm, highly-respected researcher and award-winning author, shares her discoveries and beautiful photography of our native wasps. 🐝 Register here: ow.ly/T2aj50Nt5Q3

Yesterday, cellophane #bee (Colletes inaequalis) females perched at their nest entrances in morning, waiting for temps to warm up. Males patrolling nest aggregation. In afternoon, females visited pussy willow. Nest provisioning iminent after today's rainy weather subsides.

Catrin Einhorn And so happy to be alongside rockstars Heather Holm and Sheila Colla, Ph.D Go team bees!

Fantastic storymap by Heather Holm on creating "soft landings" of native vegetation & leaf layer under keystone trees to support butterflies, moths, bees, fireflies and many other wildlife species in our gardens. storymaps.com/stories/7942b5… National Wildlife Federation Garden for Wildlife

My latest storymap features Soft Landings, a concept developed by Leslie Pilgrim and me. This concept builds upon Desiree L. Narango, PhD's research on leps and host plants. Soft Landings are diverse native plantings under the dripline of keystone native trees. Link: arcg.is/1Lvry