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I found this lying on the ground under my climbing rose and Pink Jasmine. The nest looks rather like a flower and, in fact, has a stem at the bottom, which is slightly visible in the first photo. The stem suggests to me that some bug built the nest as if it was a flower either upright or upside down.
OK, here's the larvae lying outside the nest. It has dried out significantly since I opened up the little cocoon it was in. The sides are ribbed, the end is nearly translucent, the head dark. There appears to be feeler-thingees, dark like the head, just below the head. There appears to be two bulbous eyes-to-be at the top.
This is a portion of the nest of a paper wasp in the family Vespidae that somehow has become detached, perhaps by a bird or small mammal. These nests face downwards from a pedicel that usually is attached to a solid substrate such as a tree branch or the eave of a building. See http://tinyurl.com/kqf8qf for an example. The adult wasps are general predators, particularly on caterpillars, which they chew up and feed their larvae. Usually relatively non-aggressive, they will sting if their nest is disturbed.
Can you tell me a bit about the nest? Why is it that some of the little modules(?) are empty and others still have their paper-like tops on them with the larvae(?) still awaiting "birth"? Are some of the wasps "hatched"? bugs moving about in the world? with the others remaining tucked-in, awaiting "birth"? Or are the remaining larvae no longer vital?
It seems strange that the remaining larvae are in such a seemingly early stage of development with others apparently "hatched" and maturing out in the world.
Shall I just tuck the nest into the Star Jasmine upside down, hoping that the others will hatch? Do I want Paper Wasps in my garden?
There is mention of a nest with "all developmental stages." What a pretty wasp, huh? One of the nests pictured shows the head or top of the "larvae"(?) beautifully. It looks just like what I see in my nest.
It would seem that my nest babies are probably lost, as their family is gone now, with the nest having been disconnected from its substrate and hanging out on the ground when I found it and then I moved it away from the area entirely.
I haven't looked through all the wasp references in Bug Files, but those I did see didn't include a photo of a nest. I'm wondering if it makes sense to upload the nest to one of the files. Note, however, when I searched for "vespidae" I came up with nothing.
From what I have observed, predatory wasps of this nature seem more 'interested' in moth larvae, which include more pests. I enjoy seeing the wasps 'cruising' in our vegetable garden, and have never been stung by one engaged in this activity.
Thank-you, Suunto, for your kind and patient assistance in my journey toward this end. Without you, I'd never have been able to add a new bug to the database. I am mightily impressed with myself. Wahoo!
Way cool, BugFolks! Look what this social worker, with the gracious help of your resident entomologist, Suunto, was able to do. She added a new bug to the Bug Files! What fun.
No, Claypa, no arm's length work with cameras by this 60+YO. I pulled the tripod out and zoomed in as close as I could without losing good definition. Then I cropped it so you could see what was there.
The one on the eaves is cool, isn't it? The adults are quiet these days. I'll have to keep an eye on it and see how many of the cells fill up. If they're interesting, I'll add some more photos later. Perhaps after the nest empties.
Suunto? Where should I look for the newly-hatched fledglings? Maybe I'll be able to add a pic with the babies wandering around a bit.
I'm afraid that you won't find any 'babies wandering around' as each larva stays within its own cell throughout development. For a brief synopsis on the life cycle of Polistes wasps in general, see http://tinyurl.com/korvhs
Interesting article. I find it amazing how they can determine the sex of the first brood for a specific purpose. However since I raise butterfly caterpillars, I don't care much for the wasps that prey on them. Great job on the photography Lindai.
Quoted:
After the first larvae hatch, the foundress feeds them via progressive provisioning, bringing softened caterpillar flesh to the larvae multiple times throughout their development (as opposed to the one-time provisioning seen in some other hymenopteran groups). This first seasonal brood of new paper wasps is exclusively female and destined to a subordinate worker position inside the nest; they do not found their own nests and instead assist their mother in the care and maintenance of future sisters.
