Backyard and Beyond

Starting out from Brooklyn, an amateur naturalist explores our world.

As John Burroughs said, “The place to observe nature is where you are.”

Two-spotted Scoliid

The Blue-winged Scolliid Wasp/Scolia dubia regional form has two yellow spots on the abdomen, making them Two-spotted Scoliid Wasps/Scolia dubia dubia. I’ve never seen the non-spotted form.

These hunt subterranean beetle larvae and are very fond of invasive Japanese Beetle/Popillia japonica grubs, which is probably why there are so many of these wasps cruising a few inches about the ground now.

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