Stridulations

These ladies live just over the dormitory room where I've spent the past week. I decided to take a sample of them last night. Unfortunately, the wasps got more replicates of me than I did of them.

At one point I actually had a half-dozen or so in my net, but they were so adamant about making me leave the area that I lost all but one. When these wasps get ticked off, they grab whatever parts of you they can reach -- fingers and noses seem to be favorite targets -- and inflict annoying little stings that prickle and burn for at least several hours. So, I've decided to assume that the Wolbachia infection status of my lone specimen will reflect that of her sisters. I've also decided to assume that everyone who advises against swinging an aerial net too close to a nest of Neotropical vespids is correct, and should be heeded.

I'll be leaving Barro Colorado Island today for the main STRI site in Ciudad de Panamá; more as it breaks.