Great shots.

The first time I saw one, my children were still toddlers. I had no idea what it was, but it looked like something I didn't want around the kids. I called the local university entomology department to find out what it was. (This was in the days before the internet.) The person I spoke to was very nice and explained that they are not at all aggressive. Leave them alone and they'll leave you alone.

But they look dangerous.

Oh, and very nice pics.

Gorgeous pics!

But this seems like typcial male behavior these days---sitting around on a couch (or leaf) while the women are out working, bringing home the bacon, giving birth, and then raising the kids. At least these males get off the couch for a while to defend the home so the women can come home an work.

I'll go a step further and say we should have women take a turn at running things, men don't have that good a track record

I always wondered what they were. Now tell me, what are those white and purple large waspy looking things I see every around my veggies?

Seems to me that as the bee population has dwindled, the wasp population has grown. Have they taken over the bees' niche?

and may be why my everglade tomato plants look good but not producing

It actually stung me....though it wasn't that painful.

AI keeps telling me it is the white striped black mason wasp. But this one is much bigger than a mason wasp and the purple ring around its abdomen was distinctly on the lavender side. It was very pretty. I've seen it twice.

Yeah, the bees here use to make my blooming summer bushes hum with their buzzing. Not anymore.

Thank you for sharing.

I look forward to seeing them every year.

I am glad to see you posting so much! Your work is superb and gorgeous. Thank you for sharing your creativity!

I'm having fun and not getting any younger (although my PSA is down to .3)!

Those things can pack a wallop. Cicada killers live in ground burrows. European hornets build large above ground nests.

for about four years now, throwing dirt all in my screen room, lol.