Invertebrates Archives - Wild About Utah

November 3, 2025November 3, 2025

Marie y su chaqueta amarilla.

Western yellowjacket (Vespula pensylvanica) on a fennel flower (Foeniculum vulgare), Courtesy Wikimedia, Por Davefoc - Trabajo propio, CC BY-SA 3.0, Link — Chaqueta amarilla occidental a.k.a. Western yellowjacket (Vespula pensylvanica)
on a fennel flower (Foeniculum vulgare)
Courtesy Wikimedia, Por Davefoc – Trabajo propio, CC BY-SA 3.0, Link

Marie and Her Yellow Jacket.
Today’s story is in both Spanish and English. To hear an English version listen on Monday Morning after 7:41 am and again in the 8 o’clock hour, or online here and at UPR.org

Hemos pasado dias de calor, en los cuales hemos podido disfrutar de rios, lagos, piscinas, pero lo que mas disfruto durante este tiempo es el poder pasearme por los senderos de este hermoso valle donde vivo.

Cache Valley tiene una forma geografica unica en el mundo, podemos salir a poca distancia de nuestras casas y encontramos belleza natural que nos atrapa y nos hace perdernos en el tiempo dentro de paisajes hermosos tales como the First Dam, the Second Dam, The Wind Caves, Stokes nature center trial, Tony grove, Bear lake entre algunos ya que me llevaria un libro completo enumerar cada sitio.

Entre cada belleza que este verano dejo es el poder vivir experiencias unicas como el avistamiento de luciernagas, la experiencia de alimentar colibries, y que las personas pueda aprender acerca de especies nativas por expertos en el tema.

Todo esto me hace recordar que vivo en un lugar magico, donde hay vida y donde todos quisieramos vivir para siempre y que el tiempo se detenga aquí.

Comienzan a caer algunas hojas, los paisajes comiezan a pintarse de colores naranja, café, dorado eso me hace recordar que viene el otoño y pronto llegara el invierno. Es tiempo de ir alistando mi pequeña casa, he trabajado recogiendo fango de las orillas del Logan river, pero no dejo de ver a todos aquellos que toman fotografias, que cantan y dicen palabras de amor, felicidad y esperanza a sus seres queridos, incluyendo a sus mascotas.

Mi familia y yo estamos casi listos para descansar y esperar que este invierno sea tan agradable como todos los anteriores y que las personas puedan disfrutarlo con sus caminatas y abrigos, con sus tablas y zapatos raros, que los niños puedan correr y deslizarce con sus caritas rojas por el frio.

Talvez te preguntes quien soy porque ya te di un par de pistas de donde vivo, mi familia y yo hemos pasado muchos años aquí cerca de ti, viendote pasar de cerca, en muchas ocasiones te he asustado y me has dado aplausos por mi buen papel.

Somos muchas las que vivimos aquí ademas tengo muy buenos vecinos como las serpientes que siempre descansan cerca de las rocas o a orillas del rio, los pajaros que vuelan cada dia para buscar sus semillas, las ardillas que atrapan su comida y corren hacia los arboles, ya sabes quien soy?

Gracias por comprender que somos importante, gracias por estudiar y aprender de mi, gracias por regalarme hoteles fansy para poder vivir y pasar tiempo.

Aunque siempre me gusta construir mi casa de barro, la que nos protege de lluvia y nieve.
Soy yo esa pequeña amiga tuya, esa que ayuda a polinizar, siempre tengo una chaqueta amarilla por si me agarra el mal clima fuera de casa. Si esa soy Marie the yellow jacket wasp.

Recuerda que nuestro lugar magico esta aquí, vivimos en comunion unos con otros y que esto exista para siempre depende de nosotros, ayudame a que nuestro lugar de paz y tranquilidad sea para muchas de nuestras generaciones.

Soy Carlos Ramos y estoy loco por Utah.

Créditos:

Versión en español: Carlos Ramos, Facilities, Stokes Nature Center https://logannature.org/staff/
Imágenes: cortesía del Wikimedia Commons, Davefoc, – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, Link
Audio destacado: Cortesía y derechos de autor Anderson, Howe y Wakeman
Texto: Kate Hunter y Carlos Ramos, https://logannature.org/staff
Lectura adicional: Kate Hunter y Carlos Ramos, https://logannature.org/staff y Lyle Bingham, https://bridgerlandaudubon.org/

Lectura adicional

Artículos “Wild About Utah” por Kate Hunter https://wildaboututah.org/author/kate-hunter/
Artículos “Wild About Utah” por Carlos Ramos https://wildaboututah.org/author/carlos-ramos/

Western Yellowjacket drinking water, Wikimedia Commons, Katja Schulz, Author/Contributor, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Western_Yellowjacket_drinking_water_-_Flickr_-_treegrow.jpg
Originally posted to Flickr by treegrow at https://flickr.com/photos/86548370@N00/8137488317

Western Yellowjacket Wasp: Western Paper Wasp, Mischocyttarus flavitarsus–https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mischocyttarus_flavitarsis

Yellow-legged Mud Dauber: Sceliphron caementarium, Wikimedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sceliphron_caementarium

Bald-faced hornet: Dolichovespula maculata, Plant Health, Extension, Utah State University, https://extension.usu.edu/planthealth/ipm/notes_nuisance/baldfaced-hornet

November 3, 2025November 3, 2025

Marie and Her Yellow Jacket

Western yellowjacket (Vespula pensylvanica) on a fennel flower (Foeniculum vulgare), Courtesy Wikimedia, By Davefoc - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, Link — Western yellowjacket (Vespula pensylvanica)
on a fennel flower (Foeniculum vulgare)
Courtesy Wikimedia, By Davefoc – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, Link

Marie y su chaqueta Amarilla.
Today’s story is in both Spanish and English. To hear a Spanish version listen on Wednesday evening at 9pm, or online here and at UPR.org
La historia de hoy está en español e inglés. Para escuchar una versión en español, escuche el miércoles por la noche a las 9 p. m., o en línea aquí y en UPR.org

We’ve had some hot days, during which we’ve been able to enjoy rivers, lakes, and pools—but what I enjoy most during this time is walking along the trails of this beautiful valley where I live.

Cache Valley has a unique geographic shape unlike anywhere else in the world. Just a short distance from our homes, we can find natural beauty that captivates us and makes us lose track of time within stunning landscapes such as the First Dam, the Second Dam, the Wind Caves, the Stokes Nature Center Trail, Tony Grove, and Bear Lake, among others. It would take me an entire book to list every single one.
Among the many beautiful things this summer has brought are the chance to live unique experiences—like watching fireflies, feeding hummingbirds, and seeing people learn about native species from experts.

All of this reminds me that I live in a magical place, full of life—a place where everyone would want to stay forever and where time feels like it stands still.

A few leaves have started to fall, and the landscapes are turning orange, brown, and golden. That reminds me that autumn is coming and winter will soon arrive. It’s time to start preparing my little home. I’ve been working, gathering mud from the banks of the Logan River, but I still take notice of all those who take photos, who sing, and who speak words of love, joy, and hope to their loved ones—including their pets.

My family and I are almost ready to rest and hope that this winter will be as pleasant as all the previous ones, and that people will enjoy it with their walks and warm clothes—with their boards and funny shoes—and that children will be able to run and slide with their little faces red from the cold.

You might be wondering who I am, since I’ve already given you a few hints about where I live. My family and I have spent many years here, close to you, watching you pass by. Many times, I’ve startled you—and you’ve applauded me for my good performance.

There are many of us who live here. I have wonderful neighbors—like the snakes that rest near the rocks or by the riverbanks, the birds that fly each day in search of seeds, and the squirrels that gather food and run toward the trees. Do you know who I am now?

Thank you for understanding that we are important. Thank you for studying and learning about me. Thank you for giving me fancy hotels where I can live and spend time.

Although I always prefer to build my own mud house—the one that protects us from rain and snow.

It’s me, your little friend, the one who helps with pollination and eats caterpillars in your garden. I always wear a yellow jacket in case bad weather catches me away from home. Yes, that’s me—Marie, the yellow jacket wasp.

Remember that our magical place is here. We live in harmony with one another, and keeping it that way forever depends on us. Help me ensure that our place of peace and tranquility remains for generations to come.

This is Kate Hunter with Stokes Nature Center, and I’m Wild about Utah.

Credits:
English Version: Kate Hunter, Education, Stokes Nature Center https://logannature.org/staff/
Spanish Version: Carlos Ramos, Facilities, Stokes Nature Center https://logannature.org/staff/
Images: Courtesy Wikimedia Commons, Davefoc, – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, Link
Featured Audio: Courtesy & Copyright Anderson, Howe, & Wakeman
Text: Kate Hunter & Carlos Ramos, https://logannature.org/staff
Additional Reading: Kate Hunter, Carlos Ramos, https://logannature.org/staff & Lyle Bingham, https://bridgerlandaudubon.org/

Additional Reading

Wild About Utah Pieces by Kate Hunter https://wildaboututah.org/author/kate-hunter/
Wild About Utah Pieces by Carlos Ramos https://wildaboututah.org/author/carlos-ramos/

Western Yellowjacket Wasp: Western Paper Wasp, Mischocyttarus flavitarsus–https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mischocyttarus_flavitarsis

Yellow-legged Mud Dauber: Sceliphron caementarium, Wikimedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sceliphron_caementarium

Bald-faced hornet: Dolichovespula maculata, Plant Health, Extension, Utah State University, https://extension.usu.edu/planthealth/ipm/notes_nuisance/baldfaced-hornet

September 22, 2025September 22, 2025

Nature Out Your Front Door

If you’ve listened to these Wild About Utah segments for a while, you’ll have noticed that we tend to focus on places where humans don’t live. But what we call “nature” can flourish almost anywhere, including the places where people dominate.

I’m an avid runner and walker. And my town has done a lot of street and sidewalk work this year, so I’ve spent a lot of time looking down to make sure I don’t suddenly trip or step in a hole. Earlier this year, I was looking down while walking to my office, and I was amazed by how many ant colonies I was seeing on the sidewalks. Each colony included hundreds of tiny ants, milling around in what looked like random patterns. Some blocks had an ant swarm every 20 to 30 feet.

I’d seen them before, of course, but hadn’t realized just how ubiquitous they are. Being a scientist and therefore endlessly curious, I began to wonder: What are these ants doing when they swarm? And how do they all know to do it at the same time?

The particular species of ant that I was seeing – and I’m sure most of us have seen them at one time or another – is called the immigrant pavement ant. In some places they’re also called sugar ants, thanks to their nasty habit of sneaking into people’s kitchens to find sweet things to eat. They’re tiny, 2.5 to 4 millimeters long, shorter than a grain of rice. Originally native to Europe, some of them probably stowed away on a ship to America in colonial times. Now they’re widespread across North America.

As I watched closely, I realized that the ants’ movements weren’t entirely random. They would approach another ant, stop for a half second, then move on. That’s because one purpose of swarming is colony expansion. They wander around checking each other out. If an interloper from another colony enters the swarm and is recognized as a stranger, it will be attacked. Sometimes hundreds of ants can die in battles between neighboring colonies.

The other thing that happens when they’re swarming is mating. Some of the ants develop wings and take nuptial flights, when males and queens from different colonies take to the air and mate. They like to do this on clear, warm surfaces, when the days are long and hot sunlight has warmed the soil for a while. If each colony responds to the same environmental cue, it means there is a huge pool of prospective mates, which increases genetic diversity and colony success.

After mating, the males die and the queens, which are about twice as big as the other ants, fly off to start new colonies. Worker ants from nearby colonies will collect and remove the dead ants quickly. This helps prevent predators from being able to locate the colonies, which spend most of their time in nests beneath flat stones or similar hard spaces – such as sidewalks. Within a week after the swarms appear, they’re gone.

Pavement ants can be a nuisance if they get into your pantry. But when they’re swarming safely out on the sidewalk, they’re just a fascinating part of nature – one that most of us can observe without going more than a block or two from home.

I’m Mark Brunson, and I’m wild about Utah’s natural creatures, wherever they’re found.

Credits:

Images Courtesy & Copyright Lyle Bingham, Photographer, Bridgerland Audubon Society
Featured Audio: Courtesy & © Kevin Colver, https://wildstore.wildsanctuary.com/collections/special-collections and Anderson, Howe and Wakeman
Text: Mark Brunson, https://www.usu.edu/experts/profile/mark-brunson/
Additional Reading: Mark Brunson, https://www.usu.edu/experts/profile/mark-brunson/ & Lyle Bingham, Bridgerland Audubon Society

Additional Reading

Mark Brunson’s archive: https://wildaboututah.org/?s=brunson

Pavement Ants, Hillman Ball Park, Payson UT, After the Sprinklers
Courtesy & Copyright Lyle W. Bingham, Photographer

Tetramorium caespitum – Bugwoodwiki
https://wiki.bugwood.org/Tetramorium_caespitum

Tetramorium caespitum – iNaturalist
https://www.inaturalist.org/guide_taxa/832327

Immigrant Pavement Ant (Tetramorium immigrans) – iNaturalist
https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/569552-Tetramorium-immigrans

Pavement Ant | NC State Extension Publications
https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/pavement-ant

“Pavement ants (Formicidae, Tetramorium immigrans) are northern Utah’s most common pest ant in and around homes and structures. Until recently, the pavement ant’s scientific name was Tetramorium caespitum, but recent genetic work has clarified that our common pest Tetramorium species in the U.S. is from Europe and has been given the name T. immigrans (Wagner et al., 2017; Zhang et al., 2019). Genetic variation among pavement ant populations in the U.S. is low and it is believed that current populations were derived from one or a few closely related colonies from Europe introduced into the northeastern U.S. about 200 years ago (Wagner et al., 2017; Zhang et al., 2019).”
Pavement Ants, Extension, Utah State University (USU), https://extension.usu.edu/planthealth/research/pavement-ants

When the Ants Come Marching In…, IPM Fact Sheet #8, USU Extension, Utah State University, https://extension.usu.edu/planthealth/schoolipm/files/pest-press-fact-sheets/pdf/ants_pestpress.pdf

Pavement Ant, Tetramorium caespitum | USU
https://extension.usu.edu/planthealth/ipm/notes_ag/hemp-pavement-ants

August 4, 2025August 5, 2025

Pollinator Camp: Bees

Blue Orchard Bee, Osmia Lignaria On California Five-Spot Flower Courtesy USDA ARS Jim Cane, Photographer — Blue Orchard Bee, Osmia Lignaria
On California Five-Spot Flower
Courtesy USDA ARS
Jim Cane, Photographer

By Kate Hunter, Leer en español
In late June of this year, we at Stokes Nature Center held our first pollinator camp. In this period, we worked with a local beekeepers, visited the USDA U.S. National Pollinating Insects Collection at Utah State University, and we fed hummingbirds from the palm of our hands. In spite of the short attention spans that summer brings, there were moments of pure uncut interest from the middle school age campers. Here, I’ll describe some bees and I want you to think if these would hold the attention of any teenagers in your life. Images of these bees and many more can be found online at the flikr page of the USGS bee lab, links to this page are online at WildAboutUtah.org and UPR.org

A Fairy Bee, Perdita minima ( Courtesy DiscoverLife.com, Copyright John Ascher, Photographer — A Fairy Bee, (*Perdita minima*)
Copyright John Ascher / Discover Life

When I say fairy bee, what do you think of? Small? Adorned with jewels? The fairy bees of the genus Perdita are a group of very small bees, with the largest of them being just 10 mm long (or the length of two grains of rice put together end to end). The smallest bee on the earth, Perdita minima, or mini fairy bee is just 2mm-the width of a grain of rice. Though they may seem easy to miss, they are numerous and right under our noses. These fairy bees are one of the most common types of bees in desert ecosystems, like that of the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument in Southern Utah. These bees are other-wordly, sometimes a blonde or light brown or dark with white metallic reflective markings perhaps like a jewel.

What about a blue bee? Do you know much about what pollinates your fruit trees? The Blue Orchard bee, Osmia lignaria, is a shiny blue bee that pollinates many fruit trees here in Utah including apple, apricot, almond, plum, cherry, peach, nectarine, and pear. They’re more efficient than the honeybee when it comes to fruit production per individual and there are great efforts to understand their future as a managed pollinator at the Pollinating Insect-Biology, Management, Systematics Research unit here in Logan UT.

Sweat bee (Halictidae) Courtesy USDA ARS, Scott Bauer, Photographer — Sweat bee (Halictidae)
Courtesy USDA ARS, Scott Bauer, Photographer

Here’s my last marvel-the sweat bee. Have you ever noticed a small insect landing on you in the heat of day that might have been black, green, or green up top and striped on the bottom? This might be a sweat bee! This name sweat bee encompasses many types of bees-with 4,500 species in this group of all varieties of shapes, sizes, colors. One of my favorite for its fascinating clashing color combination is the bicolored striped sweat bee, Agapostemon virescens. This sweat bee has a green upper body reminiscent of a wicked green witch with a yellow or white and stripped lower body.

I could go on, as there are 21,000 species of bees each with their own outfits and lifestyles, with Utah being home to an estimated 1,100 species. But for now, I’ll leave you be.

I’m Kate Hunter, Director of Education at Stokes Nature Center, and I’m Wild About Utah.

Credits:
Spanish Version: Carlos Ramos, Facilities, Stokes Nature Center https://logannature.org/staff/
Images: Blue Orchard Bee, Courtesy USDA ARS, © Jim Cane, Photographer
A Fairy Bee (Perdita minima), Copyright John Ascher / Discover Life
Sweat bee (Halictidae)
Courtesy USDA ARS, Scott Bauer, Photographer https://aglab.ars.usda.gov/fuel-your-curiosity/insects/buzz-about-bees
Featured Audio: Courtesy & Copyright Anderson, Howe, & Wakeman
Text: Kate Hunter & Carlos Ramos, https://logannature.org/staff
Additional Reading: Lyle Bingham, https://bridgerlandaudubon.org/

Additional Reading

Wild About Utah Pieces by Kate Hunter https://wildaboututah.org/author/kate-hunter/
Wild About Utah Pieces by Carlos Ramos https://wildaboututah.org/author/carlos-ramos/

Summer Camps, Stokes Nature Center, https://logannature.org/camps

USGS Bee Lab Flickr Account, https://www.flickr.com/photos/usgsbiml/

USU Insect Collections including Bees (Hymenoptera), https://artsci.usu.edu/biology/research/insect-holdings/

Cane, James H., Gardening and Landscaping Practices for Nesting Native Bees, USU Extension/USDA ARS, May 2015, https://www.ars.usda.gov/ARSUserFiles/20800500/gardland-nativebees.pdf

Cane, James H., Gardening for Native Bees in Utah and Beyond, USU Extension/USDA ARS, January 2013, https://www.ars.usda.gov/ARSUserFiles/20800500/Gardening.pdf

Pollinating Insect-Biology, Management, Systematics Research: Logan, UT, (USDA Bee Lab, Logan UT), USDA ARS, US Department of the Interior, https://www.ars.usda.gov/pacific-west-area/logan-ut/pollinating-insect-biology-management-systematics-research/