Happy #worldbeeday, let’s remember that most bees are not black and yellow 🐝 and that bees come in all colors, shapes and sizes.

One season of bees observed at my house, or nearby. Most of these are very small and easy to miss if you're not looking or carrying a net. Beautiful diversity inhabits even our most urban and modified areas. #WorldBeeDay

Sand wasp. Bembix sp. 18 mm. North America. A watered-down hint of an itch. Pain level: 0.5 #thestingofthewild #scicomm

Hunt’s bumble bee. Bombus huntii. 15 mm. North America. Dense, hot and stabby – playing with fireworks again. Pain level: 2 #thestingofthewild #scicomm

Great golden sand digger wasp. Sphex ichneumoneus. 22 mm. North America. A rapidly dissipating sharpness, some warmth remaining – a playful cat claw. Pain level: 1 #thestingofthewild #scicomm

Cuckoo wasp. Chrysididae. 8 mm. North America. A sluggish sort of itch – lacking intentionality. Pain level: 0.5 #thestingofthewild #scicomm

Jumping spider. Salticidae. 5 mm. North America. No attempt, just huddled up and shows those (8) puppy dog eyes. Pain level: 0 #thestingofthewild #scicomm

I love wasps, and I love flies that pretend to be wasps, and few do it better than Physocephala sagittaria—a thick-headed fly with a great name and beautiful ferruginous coloration that masterfully mimics Polistes wasps.

Jumping spider. Salticidae. 8 mm. [Darling Downs, QLD Australia; ID appreciated]. A little spike, barely perceptible – a prickle hiding somewhere in your sock. Pain level: 0.5

Brachyponera lutea (worker). 5 mm. Australia. A sharp, pulling sensation with remarkable tenacity –  a vindictive sibling twists and pulls at the hair on the top of your toe and you can’t escape. Pain level: 2

Forest green-head ant. Rhytidoponera sp. 8 mm. Australia. A hint of jalapeño – you were expecting a little more bite and could’ve gone with the medium instead of the mild. Pain level: 1.5

Wasp. Hymenoptera. 12 mm. [Logan, QLD, Australia; ID appreciated]. A nasty little ball of intense itch. Pain level: 0.5

Green spiny ant. Polyrhachis hookeri. 7 mm. Australia. Deceptively non-painful. Like biting into a habanero chili to find it is a green bell pepper – no sting. Pain level: 0

These animals use venom for defence and attack purposes... except for one! Can you guess which one it is? 🤔

Ant-mimicking Seed Bug. Daerlac nigricans. 10 mm. Australia. Sheep in wolf’s clothing – no sting. Pain level: 0

Velvet Ant (Mutillidae). 10 mm. Australia. Niggly–a grass seed hidden somewhere in your sock. Pain level: 1

Cuckoo wasp. Family Chrysididae. 6 mm. North America. A mysterious itch – like one of those itchy bites that seemingly materializes out of thin air. Pain level: 0.5 #thestingofthewild

Sweat bee. Dialictus sp. 9 mm. North America. Intentional and focused – a fingernail pinch. Pain level: 1 #thestingofthewild #scicomm

Pollen wasp. Pseudomasaris vespoides. 17 mm. North America. Blistering heat – remember that time that you, as a kid, were messing around with one of those old cigarette lighter things in the front of the car? Pain level:  2.5

Mountain bee assassin. Apiomerus montanus. 17 mm. North America. A short, stabbing pull - ripping out a couple of sideburn hairs. Pain level 1.5