pretty coolMost dangerous thing I did in Zion NP happened when I was trying to take pics of a bunch of butterflies in a field. I saw this really strange, but beautiful, bug going from flower to flower just like the butterflies. It was a bright jewel blue with orange wings and over 2 inches long. I got very close to it and saw it was some sort of wasp! Got even closer and took some pictures.
Turns out this is a Tarantula Hawk wasp. They sting and disable tarantulas and lay their eggs in them. When the larva hatch, they eat the spider from the inside, leaving the vital organs for last to keep the spider alive as long as possible.I also found out that they have the 2nd most painful sting of any insect.
So painful a person is stunned for a full 5 minutes. Also found out they are not all that friendly and don't like being bugged. (get it? bugged?
). Lucky for me this one was more interested in the flowers than my camera looming toward it. I just assumed it was a friendly happy nectar drinker like butterflies, not a spider killer with a debilitating sting. A wasp is a wasp I guess, but it sure was pretty. The blue was so bright in the sun. Camera didn't capture it very well. I should have been an entomologist! The flowers are called whorled milkweed.
Pheasants are beautiful. Quail are good egg layers and easy to process, good to eat.
His math skills are above average but I THINK his language arts , communication skills -English needs some work. ??? Of course , it seems that mine does as well.
