Immigrant

Looking for a blip in the garden, I spotted this unusual black wasp on our mint. I had never seen one before and looked it up: It's an immigrant from North America, the Mexican grass-carrying wasp. It only arrived in our area a few years ago.

They build nests in hollow stalks, line them with bits of grass (hence their name), and feed their larvae with small grasshoppers.

I am grateful for the strange wasp! It's the only interesting thing I found on this otherwise long and strenuous workday.