Not bee related-

I was lucky to discover a colony of Cerceris fumipennis which is a wasp
that hunts the emerald ash borer in my back yard. I did not recognize the
wasp that was living in the holes near my hives, I thought they may be
praying on my bees so I identified them and learned they prey on beetles.
In Maine they are using these wasps to discover if the ash borer is
present. Volunteers set a rubber dam (just like the one the dentist uses)
over the wasps hole in the ground, this is a solitary ground-nesting wasp,
the rubber dam knocks the pray out of the legs of the female that she is
bringing to her nest for the larva to feed on. The knocked off pray,
beetles, are identified which will let the state know if the emerald
ash borer is around. My location is prefect since there are a lot of ash
trees around.

I do not know how much money my state is spending on watching for this
pest. The state is trying to find ways to increase habitats for the wasp,
which do not sting people even when provoked. The ash tree is an important
industry in Maine, wood is our largest natural resource besides the ocean.
Also to some the ash tree is important since it is used in basket making.
http://tok.asap.um.maine.edu/miba/examples/scrollable-view.html

Karen T-K

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