A Jewel in the Garden

Imagine my delight when I was pottering around in the garden and caught a tiny flash of iridescent blue.  In my mind, only good things come when one spots blue in the form of an insect.  This is a Cuckoo Wasp (Family Chrysididae) and if I had to guess, I'd put it in the Elampus species.  It must have been chilly because I had time to run inside, grab the macro, run back outside and get myself down to eye level (no easy fete as my left knee is still gimped up from the fall a few months ago).  Eventually, I even coaxed him/her onto my hand!  See Extra for an idea as to how very tiny these wasps are.

According to Wikipedia, the term "cuckoo wasp" refers to the cuckoo-like way in which wasps in the family lay eggs in the nests of unrelated host species.  This makes no sense to Americans because our cuckoo birds are not parasitic nesters; however, in the EU cuckoo birds lay their eggs in the nests of other species.  So there you have it - a little piece of relatively useless information.


I planted about 40 seedlings in the garden as well as in pots - a selection of cosmos, asters, zinnias and tropical milkweed.  I also dug up a clump of Common Milkweed that had cropped up in a place I don't want it and have moved it.  We'll see how that works - this type of milkweed doesn't really like to be moved as it has a very long taproot and spreads through rhizomes.  


I also discovered another favorite nectar plant that didn't make it through the winter - my honeysuckle.  Rats.  Well, I will be on the hunt for a replacement for that one this week.  I'll also look for a smaller buddleia to replace the one that died, which was really too large for the space I had it in.


Nice to have a day to do nothing other than potter in the garden, take some pics, and enjoy being outdoors.  It's been overcast and in the high 60's/low 70's all day, so perfect for working outdoors.  


Tomorrow morning is my brain MRI.  I'm doing my best just not to think about it.  I'll take my drugs before I go (hubs will drive me) and in relatively short order it will be done.  Have to overnight a copy of the film to my surgeon in NYC so he can rule out a tumor regrowth.  Any good thoughts sent this way will be most appreciated!


xo
Debbi