Thursday, October 16, 2014

Potter wasp

Potter wasps such are all solitary which means they live alone and not in large colonies. The species I picked for today’s post doesn't have a common name, only a scientific one (Eumenes fraternus). So let’s stick to potter wasp for now.

The female potter wasp builds a miniature pot out of mud in which it lays an egg, hence the name for this group. The animal does that by collecting a drop of water and then a dry particle of soil, mixing both and putting it in place. Several hundred such fragments will be needed and the pot may take one or two hours to build.

Once the egg is laid the females hunt and paralyze caterpillars, which are then stockpiled in the pot for their offspring to feed on.  When she has placed enough provisions in the pot, the wasp seals the top and flies off to build another nest.  

By the way, as adults the potter wasps are strictly vegan, they feed only on nectar and pollen.

No comments:

Post a Comment