At 03:10 PM 16/02/2010, you wrote:
Hi John
It's probably Discolia soror
I photographed this one this week in Melba in my garden.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bronking/4344852389/in/set-72157623192244808/
Bron et al,
I've had something similar here, a few years running (I didn't
notice them last summer though), but I think mine were slightly
larger than 20-3omm, probably closer to 40 in some cases. They were
not small wasps, definitely larger than European Wasps for
example. They were always in the same place, so I am wondering
whether it is something visually similar, but that is a small colony
rather than solitary as the info Frank linked to mentioned. It does
say they form a small swarm at certain times of year, but the ones
here were always in the same place in the garden, and always in a
group. They seemed to radiate out from a certain point, which I have
always consumed a nest (up in a Photinia, so I never did get a chance
to check). Perfectly harmless, at least at my place. You could walk
through them as they circled without disturbing them. For quite a
while I never did get to see them properly, until one day they were
there when I was watering, so I sprayed one lightly with water. It
dropped to the ground and I got a good look at it while it took a
couple of minutes to dry off. I've done it a couple of other times,
just to have another look at them. I always wait until they're low
to the ground so that they don't have far to fall. The blue of the
wings is so iridescent. Interestingly, I used to see the same things
when I ran a garden maintenance business, and they were always in
ground of 2 or 3, never by themselves. I wonder if they are the same
thing (Discolia soror) and just that I only noticed them when they
were in their "group" mode?
Fascinating to find out what they may be.
Thanks.
Cheers.
Paul T.
Higgins, ACT
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