jackson@ttidca.TTI.COM (Dick Jackson) (12/06/89)
I pruned our plum tree last weekend and cut off a dead branch about 8 cm in diameter. I cut it into log sized chunks and set them down. Later my wife (whom I directed to clean up :-) noticed that if you dropped one of the logs, an intense buzzing sound occured for a few seconds. I immediately stated authoritatively that it must be termites. However after several of the dropping experiments, a black bee-like creature emerged and flew around. It was almost 2 cm long (I would estimate) and was almost shapeless (like a large furry raisin). Later a yellow version came out of the log, and flew in ever higher circles till it vanished. The yellow one was thinner and had a definite waist. We saw about four black ones altogether, they mostly stayed on the ground and seemed torpid as if they had been hibernating. The log had a hole through it about 1 cm across. Would someone please tell me what these animals are? Dick Jackson
dbell@cup.portal.com (David J Bell) (12/08/89)
They are...... (the envelope, please) Bees. Borer bees, actually, not the communal honeybee variety. They make the most precise, clean 1 cm entrance holes you could imagine. I don't know if they sting; judging from the size and resemblance to "bumblebees", I wouldn't want to find out the hard way! Dave dbell@cup.portal.com
dean@uw-nsr.UUCP (Dean Pentcheff) (12/09/89)
In article <8216@ttidca.TTI.COM> jackson@ttidca.tti.com (Dick Jackson) writes: >I pruned our plum tree last weekend and cut off a dead branch about 8 cm >in diameter. I cut it into log sized chunks and set them down.... >....a black bee-like >creature emerged and flew around. It was almost 2 cm long (I would >estimate) and was almost shapeless (like a large furry raisin). Later a >yellow version came out of the log, and flew in ever higher circles till >it vanished. The yellow one was thinner and had a definite waist. We saw >about four black ones altogether, they mostly stayed on the ground and >seemed torpid as if they had been hibernating. Sounds like overwintering parasitic wasps that you upset. Can't tell you much more offhand, but check an entomology textbook. These guys have some of the strangest life cycles around. -Dean (dean@violet.berkeley.edu)
baron@uhccux.uhcc.hawaii.edu (just another peon) (12/12/89)
In article <8216@ttidca.TTI.COM> jackson@ttidca.tti.com (Dick Jackson) writes:
-I pruned our plum tree last weekend and cut off a dead branch about 8 cm
-in diameter. I cut it into log sized chunks and set them down....
-....a black bee-like
-creature emerged and flew around. It was almost 2 cm long (I would
-estimate) and was almost shapeless (like a large furry raisin). Later a
-yellow version came out of the log, and flew in ever higher circles till
-it vanished. The yellow one was thinner and had a definite waist. We saw
-about four black ones altogether, they mostly stayed on the ground and
-seemed torpid as if they had been hibernating.
these sound a lot like what we call "carpenter bees." I'm not sure if
they are true bees, or bee-like wasps (sorry, I'm not an entomologist)
but they have barbed stingers like bees. I don't recall the yellowish-
brown ones ever stinging, and I think we just assumed they were males or
something. they bore very neat holes in wood approximately the diameter
of their bodies and can be quite a nuisance.
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