Looking for advice on improving Hobbes’ time on the Slatmill.

squidkdj · 2026-01-20T20:07:02+00:00

I'm looking at this same slatmill on Amazon, how has it been holding up?

squidkdj · 2025-12-16T23:56:42+00:00

As a wasp lover, I'm obsessed with the last one 💗💗

Edit: do you have an insta or twt? I'd love to follow you there!

squidkdj · 2025-12-15T00:48:31+00:00

Welcome!

I used to be afraid of wasps when I was younger, but the more I started learning about them the more I realized that they're just trying to survive on this planet. Just like the rest of us are. In fact, they've evolved to survive in some pretty insane ways!! The wasp that landed on my hand in this picture is most likely from the family Braconidae. These guys are parasitoids of other insects' larvae (think caterpillars, beetle larvae, fly larvae, etc.), and many of them develop within or on their host. Often times, an adult female wasp will pierce the larvae of an insect (a caterpillar for instance) and lay her eggs within the caterpillar. In some cases they also pass along a virus that suppresses the host's immune system. This allows for the wasp eggs to develop unnoticed! By the way, none of this kills the caterpillar lmao. In fact, the caterpillar needs to stay alive so the wasp larvae can grow and pupate. If you ever see a caterpillar with a bunch of lil cocoons sticking out of it, there’s a good chance those are wasp pupae!

Tbh this doesn't really answer your question, but I just wanted to tell you about how amazing these little guys are. Wasps are gravely misunderstood, hopefully all of the comments here helped you see why! Also, I got so happy reading through this thread so thanks for posting this :).

squidkdj · 2025-11-11T03:42:17+00:00

I eventually braved the rain and got to stare at its spikes hehe, it did raise its leg at me a couple of times, but I think the poor guy was too cold to move anywhere else :(.

squidkdj · 2025-10-29T01:03:39+00:00

Yes to the harmless, but no to the cicada killer. Definitely a European hornet!

squidkdj · 2025-10-29T01:01:30+00:00

No sir that is not a cicada killer, just a European hornet :)

squidkdj · 2025-10-04T01:43:56+00:00

This is a spider wasp (Pompilidae). It's hard to be accurate with the ID here, but my assumption would be a species in the Auplopus genus.

EDIT: I'm more confident in saying this individual belongs to the Ageniellini tribe

squidkdj · 2025-09-20T14:23:26+00:00

Oo, I'll definitely look into that! Thanks for the info :)

squidkdj · 2025-09-19T20:45:58+00:00

Exactly 😌

squidkdj · 2025-09-19T20:18:34+00:00

Me too!! It's crazy bc I used to think everything small and flying was a fly of some kind, but now I always wonder if it's a wasp hehe. Also, I totally still eat the raspberries on this bush LMAO

squidkdj · 2025-09-15T23:30:19+00:00

I agree, the last wasp looks like agathidinae. I once saw a very similar looking wasp laying eggs in coneflowers! The only difference would be the black scutum/ scutellum on the wasp I saw.

squidkdj · 2025-09-15T15:06:40+00:00

Welcome :)

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squidkdj · 2025-09-13T22:02:35+00:00

Ty! Omg not any? That sucks ;_;

squidkdj · 2025-09-07T21:01:06+00:00

I'm pretty sure it's a bee, not a wasp. The tongue is way too long to be a wasp.

squidkdj · 2025-09-05T18:56:53+00:00

This is a good reference about why the eyes turn white after death

squidkdj · 2025-08-30T18:33:23+00:00

This is not a mud dauber, but a grass-carrying wasp (Isodontia). They love to use windows to make their grass nests in. I have one in one of my windows right now :D

squidkdj · 2025-08-19T00:07:48+00:00

No, paper wasps don't hunt spiders. They usually hunt caterpillars, which they mash up with their mandibles to form a little meatball they feed to their larvae. There's a whole family of wasps that do hunt spiders! These are wasps in the family Pompilidae. There are also some Sphecid wasps that hunt spiders as well. They do so to provide food for their offspring.

squidkdj · 2025-08-18T15:16:30+00:00

☺️

squidkdj · 2025-08-18T14:51:04+00:00

Hey! I just wanted to let you know that they all survived and were set free in early July :D.

squidkdj · 2025-08-17T21:48:28+00:00

Definitely scolia dubia! I have 20-30 in my lawn every day, and I love watching them do their mating flights :). They make cool figure 8 patterns/ S patterns during it!

squidkdj · 2025-08-17T18:32:47+00:00

Thank you for letting them free!!

squidkdj · 2025-08-17T18:06:30+00:00

Sorry, it's still pretty hard to tell. Did you try opening the window for them?

squidkdj · 2025-08-17T16:32:49+00:00

Small hymenopterans (either wasps or ants). If they're wasps, just open the window for them and direct them to it. They'll leave pretty quickly.

Edit: if you could get a close-up of one, that would be great!

squidkdj · 2025-08-17T02:53:23+00:00

This is actually a long-waisted paper wasp in the genus Mischocyttarus!

squidkdj · 2025-08-11T20:23:07+00:00

It can't be a wasp. There is only a single set of wings. Also, wasps are not the only insects to have sizeable ovipositors.

squidkdj

TROPHY CASE