Thread-waisted Wasps

Thread-waisted Wasps (Ammophila spp.) belong to family Sphecidae. They have long thread-waist with black and orange-brown in colors. The wasp here is Thread-waisted Caterpillar Hunter Wasp, with a body length about 30 mm. They are caterpillar hunters and nest in sand burrows. The paralyzed caterpillars are used as food for their larvae.

Thread-waisted Wasp (Ammophila spp.)

Flea beetle

Flea beetle is a common name applied to the small, jumping beetles in the family Chrysomelidae (leaf beetle family). They make up the tribe Alticini, in the subfamily Galerucinae.
 The Flea beetle here is Aulacophora  lewisii. Aulacophora  lewisii is about 6.5 mm long. The head, pronotum, abdomen, legs and antennae are orange-yellow, elytra black, shorter than the abdomen.

Flea Beetle

Dragonflies

Dragonflies are flying insects belonging to the order Odonata, the suborder Epiprocta, the infraorder Anisoptera . There are about 5680 known species of dragonflies in 11 families. They are characterized by large compound eyes, two pairs of strong transparent wings, 2 short antennae, chewing mouthparts, an elongated body and six legs. They are usually found around marshes, lakes, ponds, streams, and wetlands because of their aquatic nymphs. Dragonflies are very beautiful and ecologically important insects. They're important as both predators and prey. They eat mosquitoes and other small insects like flies and bees.
Their nymphs know as Naiads live in water and are predators of small invertebrates like mosquito larvae as well as smaller vertebrates like tadpoles and fish. Their naiads are important biological control agent of mosquito larvae. They serve as food for fish. Dragonflies are harmless to human beings, they neither sting nor bite.

Dragonflies Photos

Hoverfly-Eupeodes corollae

Eupeodes corollae is a  species of hoverfly in the insect family Syrphidae (hoverflies or flower flies or syrphid flies). They are about 6–11 millimetres in body length. Their larvae which feed on aphids, are important biological control agent of aphids. The adult are important pollinators.

Hoverfly-Eupeodes corollae

Green Slug Caterpillar

This dome shaped and green colored mass is Green Slug Caterpillar (Eloasa symphonistis), in the family Limacodidae. This slow moving caterpillar feeds on the leaves of Acacia and  some plants in the family Rhamnaceae. They have a number of pale lines running along its body. The caterpillar you see here was feeding on Ziziphus mauritiana leaves.

Green Slug Caterpillars (Eloasa symphonistis)

Mango-National Fruit of Pakistan

Mango belong to the genus Mangifera, in the flowering plant family Anacardiaceae. The mango is native to the Indian Subcontinent, but now cultivated in many tropical regions world wide. Mango is one of the most widely used fruits for food, juice, pickle, flavor, fragrance and color and that's why, It's called the king of fruits. Pakistan is the fourth biggest mango producing country in the world. The area under mango cultivation is 167.5 thousand hectares, with the production of 1,732 thousand tones on the average. Mango is the nation fruit of Pakistan. Besides Pakistan mango also serve as the national fruit of India and Philippines, while the mango tree is the national tree of Bangladesh.

Mangoes-National Fruit of Pakistan

What Do Praying Mantis Eat?

What do Praying Mantis eat? Praying mantises are carnivorous insects. They eat insects and other invertebrates including crickets, grasshoppers, beetles, butterflies, moths, flies, spiders and even other mantises. The large species of praying mantises even eat vertebrates including small frogs, lizards, mice, small birds and nestlings. Baby praying mantises also eat aphids.

What Do Praying Mantis Eat?

Praying Mantis Eating a Grasshopper

National Flower of India

Indian Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) serve as National Flower of India and has great significance in Indian culture and religion. I love the Indian Lotus for it's three folded properties. Firstly lotus has an attractive and large beautiful flower, secondly It's roots (rhizomes) are edible, which are used as vegetable, thirdly it's seeds or nuts which are also edible, are roasted or candied for eating directly, however are also eaten raw. The seeds can also be made into a paste, which is used for producing sauces and decorating and filling cakes. Other parts of the lotus pants including leaves, stems and seeds heads are also used for different purposes.

Indian Lotus-National Flower of India

Mud Dauber Wasp Life Cycle

Mud Dauber Wasp Life Cycle

Black and Yellow Mud Dauber (Sceliphron caementarium) is a species of wasp in the family Sphecidae, that build their nests from mud. Like many other insects the mud dauber wasp life cycle consists of four stages i.e. egg, larva, pupa and adult wasp. They generally make one cylindrical cell per day and spend the remaining time on leveling the nest. After completing the mud nest the female captures several insects or spiders to provision the cells. Prey are stung and paralyzed before being placed in the nest. A single egg is deposited on the prey within each cell, and the cell is sealed with mud. After completing a series of cells, the wasp departs and does not return again. The larvae that hatch from the eggs feed on the prey spiders left by the adult wasp. On maturity the larva turned into pupa and then emerges into an adult wasps. Below is the visual representation of different stages of mud dauber wasp life cycle.

Mud Dauber Wasp Life Cycle

Mud Dauber Wasp

Mud Dauber Wasp Egg

Mud Dauber Wasp Egg

Mud Dauber Wasp Larva

Mud Dauber Wasp Pupa