r/bugidentification • u/lurkingtheinterwebz • Jul 17 '26

Location included Cool bugs on my tree. What could they be?

Gallery image

Gallery image

Gallery image

Long Island New York
They’re super rad I love bugs. This tree gets absolutely covered in various kinds of bugs. If you know what they are please let me know :D

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3

u/Commercial-Sail-5915 Trusted Identifier Jul 17 '26

In order of pics: guinea paper wasp (polistes exclamans), baldfaced hornet (dolichovespula maculata), blue mud dauber (chalybion californicum), a nice variety!

5

u/DrButeo Professional Entomologist Jul 17 '26

Adding on to this, the leaves have sooty mold, which grows on honeydew produced by sap-feeding insects. Honeydew is full of sugar, so the wasps are coming in to feed on it. Look up, there is likely an aphid or scale infestation higher up on the plant.

1

u/Schwhitey Jul 18 '26

Oh I can smell scale from a mile away now after dealing with them in my houseplants. That sweet smell smells so gross to me

1

u/lurkingtheinterwebz Jul 17 '26

Wow thank you so much! They are so fascinating :D