Wasp with Violet Helleborine pollinia.

[Jim Ford]

This was interesting to watch:









I can't tell from it's face what sort of wasp it is - it's smothered with pollinia!

It's been reported that Violet Helleborine nectar has narcotic properties. I can certainly believe it, the wasp spent almost 1/2 hour blundering from flower to flower drinking the nectar and didn't seem well co-ordinated!

Whiteleaf Cross, Buck. Taken with Olympus E3, 50mm macro Zuiko and Metz 15 MS-1 ringflash

Jim

[IanS]

Hi Jim
I saw the very same activity of wasps on violet helleborines at the same site only 2 nights ago! I also saw 2 wasps on broadleaved helleborines doing exactly the same thing at a different site two weeks ago...
Cheers

Ian

[Matt Smith]

The short malar space (the distance between the base of the eye and the mandible), the pale hairs on the abdomen and the black mark breakingthe yellow band on the head behind the eye make this Vespula vulgaris.