Estamos buscando las avispas

What we one thing and another we have had a little change of plan with this years fieldseason - the detail of which would take far too long to write about in this post - as such we are doing things in reverse. 

Instead of conducting experiments first and then taking some days off at the end to explore Panama and look for potential new sites, we are starting with looking for new sites before kicking off with the experiments.

The words on all of our lips to those we meet on our travels are "estamos buscando las avispas" (we are looking for wasps). This phrase tends to leave most Panamanian locals looking rather bemused at the three strange British people standing before them in field gear and bee hats - a look we now used to!

But invariably once we managed to explain to people in pigeon spanish what these wasps look like most people are more than helpful to show us potential places there might be nests - possible just for their own amusement when they see how excited we get a the site of wasps!



Here are a few snap shots of what we have found on our travels:

This looks like a typical wasp inhabitance!

Not a bad from the first floor window.....

I found these fantastic trails running through the grass near these buildings. At a closer look you can see that these trails are those that have been made by millions of tiny little ant feet repeatedly running through them. Pretty amazing creatures making these ant motorways to get to they best sources of leaves which they need to grow their fungus gardens.

Ant trail

Leaf cutters

Last year Lawrence taught me a new scientific term which has fast become a favourite of mine when ever I spot these plants, below you can see an epiphyte! These plants are those which grow upon another plant (in this case a tree) but do so in a non-parasitic manner. I have seen these all over Panama and not just growing on trees but also on buildings where it is damp. Most of the ones I have seen belong to the Orchid family, ill try to take some more snaps of then when I come across them. Couldn't resist this one due to the beautiful blue sky in the background.

Robin thought that their might be some wasps in here, although I think it might just have been an excuse to get out the machette.....

Or may be some wasps are here .....

Pacific Cost of Panama on the way to Veracruz

.... no wait, this is just a good spot to have a rest with a drink and eat some traditional patacones.

Seirian and Robin working hard....

After our little break we decided to head over to Gamboa, crossing over the scary bridge (yes you can just fall through it if you don't drive on the right bit) on the hunt for wasps.

Unfortunatly, we didn't find that may Polistes on our hunt but we did come across some of this beautiful art work by Seirians friend  Damond Kyllo depicting some of the wildlife that you can find in the forests surrounding Gamboa.

The close of the day saw us heading back over the Galeta to collect some Mischocyttarus nests at dusk and we were accompanied by another a beautiful sunset.

Talk to you all soon

Emily

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