What's in a name? Metallic-Blue Dauber Wasp, Chalybion bengalense, on Aranthera Orchid, Taman Tasik Perdana, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
'What's in a name? that which we call a rose, by any other name would smell as sweet,' exclaims Shakespeare's Juliet, professing her love for Romeo no matter what or from whatever lineage he hails.
For our gleaming Metallic-Blue Mud Dauber Wasp things are just a bit more complicated. She was seen walking on the foliage of the orchid in the photo inset. It's an Aranthera, an intergeneric vandaceous hybrid of Arachnis and Renanthera.
Arachnid is the name, too, for the class to which Spiders belong. And far from being interested in the Orchid - even though named for Arachnis - Metallic-Blue was no doubt seeking out her favorite food, Jumping Spiders. I've seen them on many plants but never on Orchids, so Wasp might well go hungry. But her instincts are probably better than mine, who's never been particularly starving for Spiders. I stayed and watched a while until she flew off with no captures...
What's in a name? Metallic-Blue Dauber Wasp, Chalybion bengalense, on Aranthera Orchid, Taman Tasik Perdana, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
'What's in a name? that which we call a rose, by any other name would smell as sweet,' exclaims Shakespeare's Juliet, professing her love for Romeo no matter what or from whatever lineage he hails.
For our gleaming Metallic-Blue Mud Dauber Wasp things are just a bit more complicated. She was seen walking on the foliage of the orchid in the photo inset. It's an Aranthera, an intergeneric vandaceous hybrid of Arachnis and Renanthera.
Arachnid is the name, too, for the class to which Spiders belong. And far from being interested in the Orchid - even though named for Arachnis - Metallic-Blue was no doubt seeking out her favorite food, Jumping Spiders. I've seen them on many plants but never on Orchids, so Wasp might well go hungry. But her instincts are probably better than mine, who's never been particularly starving for Spiders. I stayed and watched a while until she flew off with no captures...