I’m just curious on where are the best places to look for Cuckoo Wasps and Carpenter Bees. I have found my other insect target species (for the most part) but these I am still missing.
Photo credit: https://bug.news/blog/wasps/chrysis-angolensis/
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Best place might be iNaturalist … filter for them in the area where you’ll be.
I’m in Michigan and have been finding Carpenter Bees visiting goldenrod and common hibiscus
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Yes, best to use iNat’s Explore page. See https://help.inaturalist.org/en/support/solutions/articles/151000169670
Are you asking about locations or habitats? Hymenopterans are both highly mobile and usually present only in low densities, so in many cases there is no guarantee that you will be able to find them at a particular site on a given day even if they are known to be present there. Habitat (preferred flowers/host plants or nesting substrate) may be more important.
Cuckoo wasps are often found near nests of their host (or for some of them, near their host’s prey, such as aphids), so your chances of seeing one may be increased if you check the sorts of habitats where their hosts nest.
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Most times I’ve seen a cuckoo wasp, it was hanging around a “bee hotel”. Once I saw one flying around a gabion cage full of rocks, so I assume other insects were nesting between the rocks.
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That sounds like the perfect habitat for them. I’ve been looking in spots with lots of fallen logs but no luck yet.
lol. I was asking about particular environments where I’m most likely to see them. I have looked in those areas but I assumed that there was something that I was missing.
LUCK is what I use…
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Right. I did find a few Carpenter Bees today. I’m going to some spots that friends have found some and hoping for the best.
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That’s all I use. They come and go while you’re just looking for other stuff, and with their color show, they’re next to impossible to miss by even beginner bug hunters. But they’re so fast and often flighty, that even when you spot one part of your mind is going, ‘Oh right, a cuckoo wasp. Let’s try again….’
I try to always have my little Olympus TG on me for just such moments. Luck favors those with a macro camera in their pocket.
Like yesterday, just walking down the street and THIS landed, on a utility pole beside me, at eye level and paused for about 10 seconds.
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The last one appeared while I was biking with a group of friends in the country side. When I saw it, I abandoned them mid conversation to take this picture (https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/205880422) only to realise later how rude I’ve been. Specially they didn’t see it so they didn’t understand. No regrets though… 
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Since they’re your friends, show them the photos then see who understands! Your friends (here) realize the importance of the stop when they see the great cuckoo wasp shots you were aware enough and lucky enough to get!
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I just looked at your photo, awesome! I have been finding them everywhere lately. I have learned that I was seeing them after-all. The key component I was missing was — looking at them from a behavior perspective. They behave like flies! They are very bouncy and erratic if spooked. I am after the Ruby-tailed sector of them now, I haven’t found any yet but plenty of others. I have also found lots of Carpenter Bees as of lately. It’s interesting how quickly things turn around. Additionally, I appreciate your feedback. :)
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