What sort of wasp/insect is this (photo)? And why don't the bees like my lemons?

[ddiogyn]

Suddenly there is an abundance of flying insects in the garden! I noticed many of these wasps (see photos) visiting my container crops. What kind of wasp are they - they are smaller than 'normal' wasps and don't make any kind of buzzing noise when they fly. Can they sting? What other beneficial things do they do?




There were also many normal wasps - they didn't appear to be feeding on flowers, but would spend a lot of time hovering amongst the plants, landing on the leaves, and apparently wiping their bottoms on them... What's the purpose of this behaviour?

Also the butterflies - today i saw a blue and white one, many striking red and black ones, and many more totally white ones. They also seem to flutter around the plants, specifically the cucumbers, without actually visiting any flowers. Why do they do this?

Finally, i noticed that the bees enjoyed visiting the tomato, cucumber and courgette flowers, but not those of the lemon and lime trees, despite their abundant colourful and pungent blossoms, why is this?

So many questions! Thanks

[vixfinn]

I don't think it's a wasp. Looks like a type of hoverfly. Beautiful markings! They do a very good job at disguising themselves as wasps. No buzzing though. Some of them eat aphids and pollinate plants so they're "friends"
I think the butterflies are looking for somewhere to lay their eggs
The lemon problem? I wonder if thas anything to do with citronella and insect deterrents? Someone in the know might be along in a mo to help.

[rogesse]

Can't see much in 1st picture but 2nd is a hoverfly, a welcome visitor that doesn't sting or buzz but it's larvae gobble up greenfly.

I've no idea why wasps would use your leaves as toilet paper (hoverflies laying eggs?) I usually encounter wasps in the garden chewing grooves in the fence to make wood pulp for their nests.

Bees do seem to prefer certain flowers - often dictated by the length of the bee's 'tongue' and the flower shape and whether the bee can reach the nectar.

[ddiogyn]

Ah, hoverflies! I'd imagined them to resemble dragonflies

[Two_Sheds]

They're def. hoverflies. No point disguising yourself as a dragonfly: you wanna look like something with a sting !

[Madasafish]

Bees invariably choose flowers with the best food value (if pollen) or sugar content if nectar. Given a choice the house bees who live in the hive will give preference to the best food for storage.. And bee scouts choose that first so .. that's it..

[Jeanied]

I think citrus are more likely to be pollinated by moths - like many of the other highly scented white flowers, which seem to be more perfumed in the evenings. Just guessing though!

[Two_Sheds]

Citrus are self-pollinating aren't they?

[ddiogyn]

Citrus are indeed self-pollinating. I was curious as the (bumble) bees seemed to hover about the flowers, perhaps even trying one, but would then fly off rather than taking their time to visit each flower. Anyway, this afternoon i have observed a non-bumble bee (or possibly wasp) thoroughly raiding the citrus blooms, so perhaps they're just not to the bumbles' tastes.

[Two_Sheds]

Maybe there isn't much nectar in the citrus flowers?

[rustylady]

Your "mini-wasps" are hoverflies. They are good guys. They pollinate various plants, and I understand they also eat aphids.