I really love going to the Crex Meadows Wildlife Area in Western Wisconsin.  There are tons of birds in the varied prairie habitats and wetlands.  But there are also a ton of cool bugs that like the often sandy terrain at Crex.  Here are some insects that enjoy the sand.

This is a digger wasp species.

Another Digger Wasp At Crex Meadows

These videos show how these wasps create little burrows.  These are likely places where they will lay eggs and leave insects they've captured in the hole to feed the larvae when they hatch.

DSC_2794

DSC_2792

DSC_2795

This is a different digger wasp species.

DSC_3185

Below is a 'velvet ant' which looks like an ant but is actually a wingless(female) wasp species.  This wasp also has the nickname 'the cow killer ant' because its sting hurts so much.  I saw these walking wasps energetically go from hole to hole that the digger wasps made.  I'm guessing they feed on the prey left by the digger wasps in these holes or the eggs laid in these holes.

DSC_3184

Below is a robber fly species.  These tough characters capture and eat other insects.

DSC_4848

This is a tiger beetle species.  It is also out in the day and mainly feeds on other bugs and small invertebrates.

DSC_4846

I hate horse flies.  But I was pleasantly surprised to see they had one redeeming quality…cool looking eyes.

DSC_3183-Edit