Kelly Cassidy wrote:
>
> 1. I've had a LARGE bumblebee, nearly the size of a hummingbird buzzing
> around the yard the last couple of days. It's cagier than most bees while
> it's working and flies away when I try to get a picture. It's mostly black
> marked with bright yellow but won't stay still long enough for me to see the
> pattern (big help, right?) . Its main distinguishing character is that it's
> the largest bumblebee I've ever seen. Or could it be a Psithyrus (cuckoo
> bumblebee)? It is mostly hanging around the Monarda and appears to be
> shredding the tubular flowers to get at the nectar, but I can't tell for
> sure. Any idea what kind of bumblebee it might be? (This is in Pullman)

You may actually be seeing a clearwing moth (the group that includes the
infamous Hummingbird Moth)
http://home.pacifier.com/~neawanna/temp/Holland_clrwg.jpg

>
> 2. On the Sedum "Autumn Joy" (a common horticultural Sedum) I noticed a
> group of wasp-like insects. They had markedly elongated wings and body, all
> black except the front half of the abdomen was orange-red. They were poking
> around the flower heads, which has flowers that are barely on the verge of
> opening.

Assuming your wasp looks something like this
http://home.pacifier.com/~neawanna/temp/wasp20000711.jpg
it is a member of the ichneumon group which lay their eggs in other
insects.

>
> 3. Finally, any suggestions for good insect guides for Washington State? I
> have Pyle's Butterfly book. I'd like a more or less complete guide. I
> realize that means either a scholarly tome or a bunch of separate guides
> covering groups of insects. Also, is there any place in the Moscow-Pullman
> area to get a butterfly net?

Borror, D.J. & R.E. White. 1970. Field Guide to Insects (Peterson series)

Brock, J.P. & K.Kaufman. 2003. Butterflies of North America

Dunkle, S.W. 2000. Dragonflies through Binoculars

Glassberg, J. 2001. Butterflies through Binoculars: the west.

Haefle, R. & S.Hinton. 1996. Guide to Pacific Northwest Aquatic Invertebrates

Holland, W.J. 1903. The Moth Book (easily available used try
www.alibris.com )

Manolis, T. 2003. Dragonflies and Damselflies of California

Miller, J.C. & P.C. Hammond. 2000. Macromoths of Northwest Forests and Woodlands

Milne,L. & M.Milne. 1980. Audubon Guide to Insects and Spiders

Paulson, D. 1999. Dragonflies of Washington

White, R.E. 1983. Beetles. (Peterson series)

Wright, A.B. 1993. Caterpillars (Peterson First Guides series)


To name a few....

--
Mike Patterson
Astoria, OR
celata at pacifier.com

I do not know which to prefer,
The beauty of inflections
Or the beauty of innuendoes,
The blackbird whistling
Or just after.

- Wallace Stevens

http://www.pacifier.com/~mpatters/bird/bird.html