The queen...

Very busy today helping Ben with his last minute revision and proof-reading various of Alex's assignements, so no time for photography. A quick dash into the garden yielded three different hymenopterans, but this queen wasp was the most spectacular. Wasps get such a bad press, but they are a valuable part of the ecosystem and are definitely the gardener's friend, devouring many pest species. I love them, even after being very badly stung last summer!