The Wasps Are Out!

The Cerceris wasps are beginning to emerge at St. Anthony's Cemetery! We hope to begin monitoring these wasps during the first week of July, after the remainder of the individuals emerge.

One of the first wasp burrows of the year

Cerceris wasps are a native genus of stingless insects that hunt for beetles from the Buprestidae family.  After finding and stinging a beetle, these wasps bring the beetle back to their burrows.  The invasive emerald ash borer is one of the wasp's prey species, so groups across North America have found it helpful to monitor Cerceris colonies in order to detect the presence of this pest.  When a wasp returns to its burrow with its prey, we net it and identify it.  This way, we can determine if the wasps are catching any emerald ash borers in the area.

As part of a statewide effort to detect the emerald ash borer, White Memorial is monitoring the Cerceris colonies at St. Anthony's Cemetery, Wamogo High School, the Morris Town Beach, and Litchfield High School.

Claire Rutledge of the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station is hosting a training session for volunteers who would like to help monitor the wasp colonies.  The session is scheduled for 11 AM on Tuesday, July 2 in the Ceder Room.