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Mason Wasp

The Mason Wasps also known as potter wasps belong subfamily Eumeninae of  family Vespidae. There are more than 3200 species of mason wasps in more than 200 genera. The tiny Mason Wasp you see here is measuring about 5mm in length. Its head, thorax and abdomen are black with light yellow marking, while the waist is reddish. It builds a series of attached cylindrical nests, consists of three cells each. The cells are filled with paralyzed caterpillars as food for the larvae.

 Mason Wasp
Mason Wasp

Mason Wasp

Mason Wasp Nest

Mason Wasp Larvae


Any help in identification of the species would be highly appreciated.

2 comments:

  1. Kiran PalwashaAugust 8, 2013 at 6:43 PM

    Nice pictures...If i am not mistaken these bees are consider sacred in our culture...what we call them in Pashtu language "Zbarga Machay" mean " The sacred bee" . Probably the mud they make their house is used in cure of different disease..

    Eid Mubarak to you and your family :)

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  2. Birdy OfficialAugust 9, 2013 at 6:00 PM

    Thanks Kiran for your feedback and wishes,,, much appreciated.
    Eid Mubarak to you and your family too.
    You are right this is some sort of "Zbarga Machay". However the most common species we see in our houses and whose mud nest is used in different diseases is Yellow Mud Dauber Wasp (Sceliphron caementarium).

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