A Small Wasp on a Wildflower

Pictured here is a very small wasp that is no more than 1/2 inch long as an adult. The flower it is on is a daisy fleabane.

There are tens of thousands of different kinds of wasps the world over. Most of them are very small like this one and present little or no threat to humans. The forest is home to most small wasps. Many kinds of them are seldom seen because they live high in the trees and in areas of thick brush.

Nectar from tiny wildflowers is a favorite food of many kinds of small wasps. In North America these little wasps are vital to the pollination of hundreds of kinds of native wild plant species.

The daisy fleabane is a very common wildflower native to North America. It can grow in poor dry soil and its seed is windblown. The daisy fleabane will bloom for an extended period of time during spring, summer and into autumn.

Through the Woods is a weekly nature photo column by Aaron Horrell. Find this column at semissourian.com to order a reprint of the photo. Find more work by him at the Painted Wren Gallery.