A scary-looking wasp and a funny spider

Cute Jumping Spider

Well, I guess if you can't already tell by now, I like spiders! There are so many fascinating kinds. I found this cute little jumping spider in my room at school. Jumping spiders are very active and observant with those huge eyes. It was a challenge to photograph her with my little "pocket camera". They are hunting spiders, the only time they make a web is for a safety line.

Ichneumon Wasp

I heard the doorbell ring this evening. Isaac and Josh, the boys who live live behind me, were out of breath and all excited about "something with a HUGE stinger" that they had seen on their porch. I grabbed my camera and went to see what it was. They were happy to hear that the Ichneumon wasp's scary-looking "stinger" is used for probing tree bark and dead wood so the wasp can lay her eggs in hidden insect larvae, it is not used for stinging people! These wasps are pretty intimidating to look at though!