One day when I was working in my garden in front of the house I noticed some funny little "bumps" on some of the lavender stalks. Upon looking closer I realized that the "bumps" were tiny nests. I took a couple pictures and then consulted Google to find out which insect builds this kind of nests.
I had never heard of the Potter wasp (Eumenes fraternus) - that's the wasp that builds these nests or brood cells. They are harmless wasps that are actually beneficial to the garden. They are solitary, rarely aggressive and you don't have to get rid of them. On the contrary, they provide excellent insect control. Adult potter wasps feed on flower nectar whereas the food source of the developing young are caterpillars. The brood cells are provisioned with 1 to 12 caterpillars each.
Their tiny nests are masterpieces. They are as "big" as a small marble, made from mud and resemble a miniature pot or jug - it looks like it was thrown on a potter's wheel.
9 comments:
I've never seen that before - it does look a bit strange!
Sowas habe ich noch nie gesehen. Das Bild ist Klasse!
LG
Magdalena
How neat! I don't think I have ever seen these in my garden but if I ever do now I will know what they are.
Wonderful photo.
What an amazing find.
Thank you. And long may your potter wasps survive and thrive.
That is so cool and so interesting!! Thanks for sharing! Love the photo! Big Hugs!
I've never heard of potter wasps. It's a good thing you looked it up - I tend to be very wary of wasps. It's good to know there are some that are beneficial to the garden - and the nests are interesting to look at!
I never think good things when I think of wasps, so this was a good post for me to read -- and to note!
What an astounding macro. These potter wasps are certainly masters of their art of homebuilding!
It is amazing how the creatures of the earth make their nests....and where. This looks bigger than a small marble, so I can imagine how small it really is. I've never heard of the Potter wasp before. How interesting that they built their nests on your lavender stalks. This is a fantastic picture, Carola.
~Sheri
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