Well spring is definitely in the air–I’ve been seeing numerous insects around, especially lady bugs. It seems that every time I turn around there is a lady bug in the hall. I released a couple of them throughout the week, deciding that they would probably be better off outside than possibly getting stepped on inside.

Today’s pictures are of some of the other creatures I saw last week around campus. Luckily I knew that the small spider that I was looking at was a harmless little wolf spider, and the I saw the wasp (or hornet) through the window.

This little wolf spider was actually walking down the hall close to the restrooms. After taking it’s picture, I nudged it towards the wall and out of the path of humans. I usually don’t like seeing spiders–but I knew that this one wasn’t one that posed a threat to me so I left it to it’s hunting. Now if it was a brown recluse–that one would have been introduced to the toilet after being stepped. At least I know that there is something trying to keep the other insect pests under control within the building.

I was walking back towards the office and looking out the window and I saw this guy just sitting on the glass. I couldn’t help but get a close up picture, and be thankful that there was a nice thick pane of glass between us.

With seeing the hornet (or wasp) this early in the year I have a feeling that it’s going to be a very buggy spring and summer. I know that wasps (and hornets) serve an role in any ecosystem–I just hope that they end up as food for some other critter and not flying around the inside of buildings on campus. I’m also lucky enough not to be allergic to their stings, but also have been lucky enough never to have gotten stung by a wasp (or hornet). I think almost all children get stung by sweat bees or accidentally step on a bee when walking bare foot through the clover (unless you’re allergic to them and then most people avoid areas where they are).

Since flowers are blooming, I’m hoping that over the next few weeks I can get some pictures of honey and bumble bees feeding and pollinating the flowers.