BugGuide Recommendation
Recently, I came across a great resource for biology teachers and naturalists that teach some aspect of entomology: BugGuide. This site represents some of the best of the collaborative nature of the Web. The site is a rich resource. If you can’t find your information–just post an image or leave a question–someone will probably get back to you. For instance I found that the galls on sumac that I had found were caused by aphids. The site had images and a number of resources about the sumac galls.
Today, Nuthatch, who blogs at Bootstrap Analysis about such things described her efforts to survey her yard for various insects. She posted the following image at BugGuide:
She found out that her wasp is an undescribed species. You can read her account here.
BW
The bug guide website is excellent. I use it to help me grade insect collections when I am stumped. I also was looking for dragonfly larve last fall, in pond mud. I came across a larva I didnt know what it was. I placed a pic of the larva on the bug guide website, and within a day or two somebody IDed it for me. It was a horse fly larva, and then I doublechecked it, and the ID was right on the money!! If you are into insects check it out!