Carol DM
The best I can tell, this is a Potter Wasp on my sedum. I have several types of wasps around. The yellow bands on this makes me believe this is a potter.
All potter wasps are hunters of caterpillars. A female generally looks for abandoned nests from other types of wasps; it is easier than building one from scratch. Once a nest is obtained, she hunts down a caterpillar, stinging it only to paralyze it. She brings it back to the nest and packs it inside a cell with a fertilized egg. Once the egg hatches, the wasp larva eats away at the caterpillar, eventually killing it. The larva pupates and emerges as a winged adult. Potter Wasps are not aggressive and generally leave people alone. They may build nests close to human habitats, which could cause more encounters between people and the insect, so removing piles of wood from the exterior of the house can help prevent a population from growing uncomfortably close to high-traffic areas.
Photo ©CarolDM
-
Have you seen wasps in your garden?
-
Yes
-
No
-
a hive sadly right where we had the wood stacked for winter. Got stung twice before I knocked the hive down…
Have not seen honey bees or hives in years. These wasps don’t seem to bother anything.
we get them because there is a huge open field next to our neighborhood!
Interesting post. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that kind of wasp.
I see several varieties in the garden. This one caught my eye.
I always see wasps, but the stings from them are unpleasant. Wonderful is the moment caught in the photo.
I know all too well of the stings growing up. Thanks, I observe from a distance.
Yes, our paper wasps do exactly the same thing. I sprayed a wasp with fly spray and it’s nest. I put the next into turpentine that also cleaned paint brushes and washed it down the sink with extra hot water.
I don’t like wasps at all.
I keep my distance, even with this photo I was far enough away to be safe.