Resonating Bodies work in progress
⁕ YouTube Resonating Bodies video channel
⁕ Pollination Station on Algonquin Island, Toronto
⁕ Diary, Summer 2009 and more photos
“Nest Wall” will involve a mixed media work which will refer in form and content to solitary nesting wild pollinators (bees and wasps) local to the greater Toronto area, to their life cycles, their nesting materials, and to their temporal relationships with flowering plants.
Below are images and information about current work-in-progress. Toronto residents and visitors can also check out various solitaries residing in observable ‘trap nests’ at Pink Condo on Toronto Island (several of which are featured in our bee trading card series), the Toronto Zoo, and Wings of Paradise in Cambridge, Ontario (these are places thus far which have incorporated this type of observable ‘condo’ – we hope more will do so in the future!).
Above: solitary nesting bee/wasp mini-gallery lab, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Solitary cavity-nesting bees and wasps emerge from (and build new nests in) observation blocks placed in a gallery simulation setting. We have mounted and amplified 6 blocks in windows to our back yard, as we are investigating methods for amplifying and watching their activities. Each block with vibrational sensor connects to a small pre-amp / amplification circuit (designed by Robert Cruickshank) – which in turn connects to a small loudspeaker attached to a trasparent plastic sheet. We hear most of them quite well through the loudspeakers while we eavesdrop on their daily (and nightly!) activities. Piezo electric discs shown here; smaller BU series vibrational sensors also used (courtesy Knowles Acoustics).
Three species of megachile (a/k/a leafcutter bee) – mostly indigenous to Eastern Canada – have created three different kinds of nest structures which involve resin, mastic (chewed leaves) with mud, and leaf structures (M. campanulae, M. pugnata and one unknown Megachile). The pupae within (feeding upon pollen) have matured to adult bees and emerge. Also, two species of local wasp prepare cells with paralized prey (tiny spiders and the like), a single egg and mud cell plugs. Viewed through plexiglass lids, the pollinators develop from larvae/pupae/adult, chew their way out to freedom, occassionally fight, and (some) return to lay eggs and create new nests.
These particular pollinators initially found their own way to these blocks at the Koffler Scientific Reserve at Jokers’ Hill ( University of Toronto; King City, Ontario). The blocks were developed and managed by independent researcher Prof. Peter Hallett and donated to the RB project (more at the RB site under “pink condo”). Thanks also to Knowles Acoustics. Sarah Peebles – concept, production and management; Rob Cruickshank – audio circuit design and techinician. More credits below.
More videos available at ResonatingBodies YouTube Channel. Documentation is also a work-in-progress.
September 2009
Pollination Station on Algonquin Island, Toronto
Behold, the bee booth! Bees and wasps co-exist in observable grooved blocks for your entertainment and education. Observation ‘trap nest’ blocks are held both horizontally and vertically. It stands about 4 feet high once in the ground (naturally, no taller than me). Just shove it in the ground and you’re ready to go. It cost me about $125 to get a carpenter to build out of wood, with detachable steel legs (though this could be made out of plastic, I suppose). Facing East is best though South is probably good too, sometimes West as well.
This storage area at the bottom of the booth (front side) is ideal for placing more observation nest blocks on their sides, and for adding drilled blocks of wood, straws, etc. The vertically-placed blocks made for much better viewing than as originally planned (which was horizontal, as in other photos here). Some of our macro videos of nest-making bees and wasps show this off nicely.
Observation ‘trap nest’ blocks held in place horizontally. Lid comes off. Drilled block ontop of the lid fits into storage area in front lower section (note several sizes of holes drilled for max. biodiversity!).
Note blocks are usually covered for darkness. Handy lower space for audio equipment, drinks, sunblock and snacks (no, solitary bees and wasps don’t care about your snacks). Velcro attaches panels of tarp (which seem to come off after about 8 weeks). Sign attached to tarp wards off pesky youth bent on destroying things they shouldn’t. As does stealthy placement of the bee booth.
Small vibrational sensor clamped to block underside. Very effective, but best embedded in wood block or wood chunk to keep out ambient noise (a cheap piezo electric disc works too, but not nearly as well). The sensor is connected to a custom-built preamp/amp ciurcuit by Rob Cruickshank (thanks also to Knowles Acoustics for the BU series sensor). This ‘booth’ is a semi-open design concept for viewing *while* listening to nesting activities inside the blocks. The Hastings triplet lense (used by geologists, about $50) and/or strong reading glasses ($15 – 20) are best for becoming completely immersed while using headphones.
These smallish wasps paralyze and gather caterpillars; we can hear and watch them placing their prey. See videos with macro view and audio!!
The ‘ampliplyers’ were a nice idea, but not quite hi-fi. Rob Cruickshank affixed a cheap piezo electric disc to the plyers and connected to a custom-built preamp/amp circuit (they worked nicely on other stuff, too!).
This Cuckoo Wasp was hoping to sneak into the nest of the wasp storing caterpillars (see above) Cuckoos abound in the insect world; see our cleptoparasite bee trading card #18. See related video.
Male ground dwelling bees of the genus Agapostemon often hung out in the blocks at the end of Summer (see related video). See related video.
Large mud dauber wasps , Trypoxylon metatarsus made an intense Jimmy Hendrix-like sound while they sealed cells with mud and packed in stunned garden spiders for their young. See related video.
Photos: Kevin Steele. More photos on Flickr)
Diary, Summer 2009 and more photos
August, 2009
remarkable sounds and sights from emerging leaf cutter bees! both types of vibrational sensors work nicely, though with the tiny Knowles BU series sensor – usually used in industrial applications – we can hear the more delicate sounds of our one returning resin nesting bee as she deposits pollen ball and constructs new nests. all sounds are even more compelling when heard through headphones.
June 29, 2009
our small wasp resident has been making many stellar sounds while sealing her nest bores with mud. she is provisioning a fresh block in the window (ie she didn’t overwinter/emerge in this block) with zombie spiders.
June 22, 2009
photos of the following: mini-gallery, ‘bee hut’, milk carton trap nests (not yet set up to hear; only to gather bees/wasps for future use), and close-ups of very small Hilaeus bees almost emerging 4 days ago. prelim amplification with small piezo electric transducer disc with custom circuit quite noisy but could hear the munching of our Hilaeus emerging the other day. Today (not pictured) a small wasp is provisioning a fresh block in the window with spiders, and this is only barely audible.
More photos from June posted at sarahpeebles.net/resonatingbodies
Credits thus far:
Sarah Peebles – concept, production and management:
Rob Cruickshank – audio circuit design and techinician
Nick Stedman – production assistance + ideas
John Kuisma – bee hut and new observation block fabrication, design ideas
Danny Villneff – bee booth construction
Kevin Steele – web wrangling and video
Peter Hallett – occupied nest block donations
Peter Kevan – straws for milk boxes out back
Laurence Packer, Stephen Buchmann, James Thomson, Peter Kevan, Peter
Hallett – consultation
Photography – Peebles (June) and Cruickshank (July)
Links to Rob Cruickshank’s pictures on Flickr
Pictures tagged resonatingbodies shows work in progress, most recent first:
Rob’s original Resonating Bodies set
