The common wasp ? vespula vulgaris

I had to get at least one blip of this vulgar insect, but it is my most hated insect of all. I actually hate it more than the huge wasps that I see in Indonesia. At least blip has cured me of my phobia and I was able to make minimum focus distance without freaking out at all too much. After the recent spell of sunshine, there are quite a few of these monsters around.

The length of this species of wasp is around 0.75 inch long, but the brain will swear that it was about 1.5 inches long. The common paper wasps in Indo are up to about 1.25 inches and the biggest wasp that I have blipped was 1.5 inches long and I would have estimated it to be easily two inches, but I managed to measure the photo site for a fairly accurate estimation.

A new wasp was discovered about a year ago, in Indonesia. Named Megalara garuda - King of wasps, it is some 2.5 inches in length. How such a behemoth could survive without being discovered sooner is a surprise, but still as far as I know, they have not been photographed or captured alive. I may be getting braver but I don't think I will be visiting Sulawesi to find this flying dog any time soon.

Continuing on the Indonesian discussion from yesterday, overweight being a problem of the rich. Conversely in the western world it is more a problem of the poor, feeding on junk food. I Indonesia there is another level of poor, were most will never be able to afford to try a McD in their lives, even those earning an average or normal wage. Fortunately the staple foods in this lowest earnings bracket is in fact healthy, boiled rice or noodles with maybe a hint of chicken and a plethora of chillies and spices that would blow your socks off!

Dave