top of page
Click on the first image to open the album.
Use the side arrow to advance to the next image.
Insect House
Filled with bamboo tubes. Solitary wasps lay eggs in the tubes.
Mason Wasp
Mason wasps are a type of solitary potter wasp. They are not aggressive and sting only if threatened.
Mason Wasp
Mason Wasps are black with a white ring on the abdomen, white spot on thorax, and white "shoulders".
Mason wasp
They paralyze caterpillars and put them in a tube. An egg is laid and partitioned off with mud.
Mason wasp
The process is repeated to create inner chambers with an egg and paralyzed insect.
Mason wasp
After creating various chambers, they block the end of the tube with a mud plug to seal it.
Mason wasps
When the egg hatches, the larva eats the paralyzed caterpillar. After a few days, a pupa is formed inside the tube.
Mason Wasp
When ready, a fully formed wasp emerges from the pupa and chews through the mud plug to fly off.
Chamber
Tube cut in half showing chambers, pupa, and larva.
Chamber
closeup
Chamber with larva
closeup of a larva
grass carrying wasp
Another type of solitary wasp. Only sting their prey. Part of the thread-waisted wasp family.
bottom of page