Small, usually wingless, insects Extremely thin waist
Ants are social insects, and our species is found in large or small colonies everywhere. Ants are also the most common insect. Two readily recognized types are:
Carpenter Ant (Camponotus herculeanus pennsylvanicus): A large black ant that is found burrowing in damp wood. The labyrinth-like tunnels in rotten wood will aid you in finding a colony.
Mound Ant (Formica exsectoides): Produce the well-known “ant hills,” which may be six inches to a foot in diameter.
Hornets and Potter Wasps (Vespidae)
Black or black and yellow, not furry, “Wasp-waisted”
Bald-faced Hornet (Vespula maculata): This is a black wasp with white markings. The distinctive nest is made of paper manufactured from wood pulp gathered by the insect from dead trees or old fence posts. At the end of the season, it may be as much as a foot or two in diameter. The only safe time to collect these nests is during the winter months!
Potter Wasp (Eumenes fraternus): The Potter Wasp constructs a “clay pot” on branches of trees, particularly Red Cedar, which it fills with paralyzed caterpillars as food for its young.
Bumble and Honey Bees (Apidae)
Extremely hairy, woolly appearance Hind legs flattened for pollen collection