These are the
solitary wasp subfamily Eumeninae (potter wasps), the largest subfamily in the Vespidae, which includes more than 3,500 described species (Pickett and Carpenter, 2010), and the three social wasp subfamilies, that is, Stenogastrinae, Polistinae, and Vespinae.
This
solitary wasp builds mud nests using detritus and even feces.
Key Words:
Solitary wasps, Sphecidae, Crabronidae, Tamaulipas.
We collected data on the life history and sex ratio of the mass-provisioning
solitary wasp T.
Sex ratios and life-history patterns of
solitary wasp, Trypoxylon (Trypargilum) politum (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae).
So the next time you get harassed by those angry
solitary wasps remember that they are, in fact, jobless, homeless and about to die.
The wasps that sneaked in my photos were part of a large group called the
solitary wasps. They diverted my attention enough to inspire my August column.
Female bees provision their nests with a nectar-pollen mixture, whereas
solitary wasps may collect a variety of prey to provision their nests, including spiders (Araneae) or caterpillars (Lepidoptera) (Krombein, 1967).
However, this article is concerned not with
solitary wasps, but colonial wasps, particularly members of two genera: Polistes (paper wasps) and Dolichovespula (hornets).
The family Mutillidae comprises a diverse group of
solitary wasps, with over 4000 described species (Lelej, 2005).
"The next most important are
solitary wasps,'' he said.
Rightly or wrongly, we often view loners as more of a threat, so it may come as a surprise to learn that of the two types of wasps -
solitary wasps and sociable wasps - the latter are the ones causing all the aggro.
Their entry holes in bare ground are difficult to spot and closely resemble those made by ants and
solitary wasps.
O'Neill KM (2001)
Solitary Wasps: Behaviour and Natural History.