Pemphredon sp of woodwasp (River Cam)

Nests in dead and decaying wood. The nest comprises a branched tunnel system, with each branch terminating in one to several cells , the cells are situated in rows and also observes the very occasional use of a shared entrance hole by two or more females although the subsequent nest tunnels were quite separate.

Prey collected
Mainly aphids (Hemiptera: Aphididae), with up to 40 per cell

Pemphredon sp carrying an aphid

Pemphredon sp of woodwasp

One of the Pemphredon sp of woodwasp there are 9 in this genus.

The wasp on my hand I saved form a spider web.

A male Common Carder bees reproductive organs

I took a photo for a Common Carder bee sunning him self when I got home and looked at the photo on the big screen it was obvious he was airing his parts . The diagram below shows you all the parts.

Lace wing larvae(garden)

They are best known as a predator of aphids, and fully deserve the nickname “aphid lion” as a single insect can consume 100-600 aphids in its lifetime. Adults hibernate over winter, and breed in the summer. The first larvae to emerge are brown , about 4mm long, with sharp nipping claws at the front (beware!). The older larvae are paler, about 13mm long, with bristles on their back. Lacewings are supplied as juveniles, or larvae.

Rose aphid (Macrospiphum rosae)

 

Description
The wingless aphids are medium-sized to rather large, broadly spindle-shaped, shiny, and pale to dark green or deep pink to red-brown or magenta, with shiny black head. Antennae and legs bicoloured, yellow and black.
They bear live young as opposed to laying eggs.
Habitat
As the name suggests the aphid is to be found on various types of rose (Rosaceae sp) and mainly colonises tender flower buds, young shoots and lower surface of young leaves.
When to see it
Best seen from June to October
Life History
Can be a pest of cultivated roses.

Aphid Mummies

You learn something new every day, while trying to ID this Aphid type it came to light that these have been mummified , in each one is a Parasitic wasp larvae which will emerge fully developed.

 

 Natural enemies are various species of parasitic wasps that lay their eggs inside aphids. The skin of the parasitized aphid turns crusty and golden brown, a form called a mummy. The generation time of most parasites is quite short when the weather is warm, so once you begin to see mummies on your plants, the aphid population is likely to be reduced substantially within a week or two.

I have just been out to check and sure enough here is a photo I took of the empty bodies and you can clearly see where the wasp has emerged from mummified aphid body.

Today I found the wasp that parasitise the Aphids