Thread-waisted Wasp in Portugal
Location: Portugal (37º31’55.23”N 8º26’33.53”W)
November 18, 2011 1:28 pm
Hi,
Please can you help me identify the attached picture of a Thread-waisted Wasp. The picture was taken on 10th September in southern Portugal while it was building its brood chamber which you can see in the picture. The brood chamber was made on a south-facing stone wall 150 mts above sea level and at the end of a few days the wasp sealed the opening.
Thanks and regards,
Frank
Signature: Frank
Potter Wasp constructs nest
Hi Frank,
This is actually a Potter Wasp in the subfamily Eumeninae. They construct a mud nest that is provisioned with food for the developing larva. Moth Caterpillars are a common larval food. This posting is postdated to go live in early January.
Dear Daniel,
Thanks a ton.
Ciao,
Frank
PS You can see what others have said about us by visiting this page on Tripadvisor.
www.paradiseinportugal.com
www.birdinginportugal.com
Paradise in Portugal
Quinta do Barranco da Estrada
7665 – 880 Santa Clara a Velha
Portugal
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¶ Posted 05 January 2012 § ‡ ° another scary bug in my cottage in India
Location: Andhra Pradesh, India
December 11, 2011 10:19 am
Hi – thanks for identifying the Assassin Bug for me last month, and now I’ve found another, even more bizarre thing in my house. Any ideas, please?
Signature: Steve Sargent
Potter Wasp, we believe
Dear Steve,
WE are relatively certain, based on the body shape, which is described on BugGuide as: “First two abdominal segments forming a tapered petiole linking abdomen and thorax.” Potter Wasps are in the subfamily Eumeninae and your individual might be in the genus Eumenes. We found a match for body shape on the Krishna Mohan Photography website, and then we found what really resembles your species on the India Nature Watch website. Potter Wasps often build nests that resemble small ceramic pots.
Potter Wasp, we believe
Dear Daniel,
Many thanks for identifying my Potter Wasp – and so quickly! The photos which you pointed me to are amazing, and the information is very interesting indeed.
All the best,
Steve
¶ Posted 11 December 2011 § ‡ ° Mystery (to me) hornet
Location: Deep southern Illinois
October 31, 2011 3:12 pm
While hiking the other day I found this ”hornet” alone and chilly early one sunny day. Can you let me know what kind of bug this chilly fellow is?
Signature: JimmyDean
Potter Wasp
Dear JimmyDean,
This is a Potter or Mason Wasp in the subfamily Eumeninae, though we are uncertain if Potter Wasp and Mason Wasp are synonymous or if they are two distinct groups within the family. We believe we identified your Potter Wasp or Mason Wasp as Pseudodynerus quadrisectus, based on photos posted to BugGuide which states it “Nests in borings made in wood, preys on caterpillars” and that it is found from “June-September (North Carolina)”. Your individual was sighted significantly late in the season. Perhaps a change in weather patterns is responsible.
Editor’s Note: If you have a late Potter Wasp or other insect sighting, please submit it.
Nest
Location: Mediteranean coast of south westTurkey
October 3, 2011 12:28 am
Please identify this wasp’s? nest. It is on the side of my house on the artificial facing bricks 1.7 meters from the ground. (we do get mud daubers but these construct the 8mm dia x 30 mm long nests)
Thank You
Signature: Malcolm
Mason Wasp Nest, we believe
Hi Malcolm,
We believe this is a Mason Wasp nest from the subfamily Eumeninae, however, we are unable to substantiate that in our web searching. We are posting your photo and letter and we hope to get some confirmation eventually.
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¶ Posted 03 October 2011 § ‡ ° Some type of paper wasp?
Location: Hawthorne, CA
October 1, 2011 1:58 pm
Here’s another wasp that’s new to my yard. Is it another type of paper wasp?
Signature: Thanks, Anna Carreon
Potter Wasp
Hi again Anna,
Like the photo you submitted this past June, and the images you submitted in December, we believe this is another Mason Wasp or Potter Wasp in the subfamily Eumeninae. The angle of view for the photos and the variation in markings may be confusing you.
¶ Posted 02 October 2011 § ‡ ° Help in IDing this wasp, please.
Location: Mason County, Ludington, MI
September 17, 2011 9:33 pm
Took the attached photo today at Ludington State Park in Ludington, MI. Would appreciate help in ID.
Signature: John
Potter Wasp
Hi John,
This is one of the Potter Wasps in the subfamily Eumeninae, and we believe we have correctly identified it as Eumenes fraternus based on images posted to BugGuide. Potter Wasps are solitary wasps that build small mud nests provisioned with caterpillars that look like miniature ceramic urns or vases.
¶ Posted 18 September 2011 § ‡ ° unicorn wasp
Location: Jamestown, RI
August 24, 2011 5:01 pm
Rescued this little guy from a bowl of water then decided to take a walk up my arm.
Signature: PeeGee
Potter Wasp
Hi again PeeGee,
This looks to us like one of the Potter Wasps or Mason Wasps in the subfamily Eumeninae, and you can find many of the similar looking genera on BugGuide. We believe the antennae stuck together because of the water, giving your individual the appearance of only one horn. For your valiant rescue, we are tagging you as a Bug Humanitarian.
Rescued Wasp – Thanks for the kudos, Daniel
Location: Hawthorne, California
June 22, 2011 8:20 pm
Hello again, Daniel. I’m hoping you can help me identify this wasp. It’s another insect that I fished out of the bird bath recently. I thought from the markings that it was one I had photographed before, but that was the Kanye West Fly, aka Eristalinus taeniops.
Thanks very much for your time! We hoped to come and see you speak the end of last month, but were unable to attend. Maybe next time. . . just realized that you named me ”INSECT HUMANITARIAN OF THE WEEK”. Thanks very much. Cracked me up! I fish buggies out of the bird bath just about every day and my success rate is astounding! If only I knew insect CPR.
Signature: Thanks, Anna Carreon
Mason Wasp
Hi Anna,
We seem to have run into a snag in trying to identify this wasp. At first we were quite certain that it is a Yellow Jacket, but its markings don’t seem to match any of the species posted to BugGuide. Even more puzzling is that it looks nothing like the Western Yellow Jackets posted on BugGuide, nor does it appear to be a European Paper Wasp, which according to BugGuide, has orange antennae. We are going to try to contact Eric Eaton to get his opinion.
P.S. Though you were only named Insect Humanitarian of the Week, you should know that there has not been another Insect Humanitarian named since you earned the title, which means that thusfar you have no competition for the Insect Humanitarian of the Year contest.
Hi Daniel,
This wasp is quite small. I don’t know if wasps hatch fully grown or not, but if you notice the wood screw in the photo you can tell it’s size. I appreciate your time on this little guy.
We also have some other flies in the garden that I’ve not seen before, but I was able to identify them at BugGuide.net. They are attracted to a flower named Bishop’s Flower (Ammi majus), which I’ve also not seen before. The seeds for it came out of one little packet that I bought about this time last year. It’s amazing that germination of many of the different seeds in the packet has taken place over almost one year. Still enjoying that investment so!
Hope we can get out to see you next time you speak.
Anna
Eric Eaton makes a correction
Daniel:
This is a mason wasp, family Vespidae, subfamily Eumeninae (see BugGuide). I don’t know most of them well enough to be more specific. Nice image, though!
Eric
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