Wasps share our planet but live in a different world. All about us they wind out their
                      little lives unaware that man is lord and master of the earth.
                                                                  - Howard Ensign Evans 1963. Wasp Farm. Natural History Press, Doubleday.

Solitary wasps offer the naturalist an ideal introduction to insects in the field. Many species are common and relatively easy to find; they also display a variety of interesting behaviors. Although there is no "field guide" to solitary wasps there are numerous references both in print and on the www (see especially, BugGuide links in reference section) detailing life histories and identification. Solitary wasps offer naturalists opportunities for both personal discovery as well as original observation. I hope these videos will tempt you into the field to learn more about these amazing insects. Many have contributed to this work; a special note of thanks goes to John Ascher, Matthias Buck, Nick Fensler, John Huehnergard, Mark O'Brien, Kevin O'Neill, James Pitts, Bill Stubblefield, and Carl Yoshimoto. See links to "References" and "Acknowledgments" at the bottom of this page. All video is the property of Richard K. Walton. Drawings on all pages are from Thomas Say's American Entomology, or Descriptions of the Insects of North America. Philadelphia Museum: Samuel Augustus Mitchell, 1824-1828.

                             

 Aculeata