More than 2200 species of the wild flora and fauna photographed in Zihuatanejo, Guerrero, Mexico and the surrounding area.
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Wasps of Zihuatanejo
ORDER HYMENOPTERA
-Arthropods (Phylum Arthropoda)
-Hexapods (Subphylum Hexapoda)
-Winged and Once-winged Insects (Subclass Pterygota)
-Ants, Bees, Wasps, and Sawflies (Order Hymenoptera)
-Narrow-waisted Wasps, Ants, and Bees (Suborder Apocrita)
-Ants, Bees, and Stinging Wasps (Infraorder Aculeata)
-Vespoid Wasps (Superfamily Vespoidea)
-Hornets, Paper Wasps, Potter Wasps, and Allies (Family Vespidae)
-Potter and Mason Wasps (Subfamily Eumeninae)
Potter wasps create their nests using clay/mud rather than paper. They collect water and then mix it with dry soil using their mandibles. The mud mixture is transported to the nest-making site where it is fashioned into individual pots. As the pot nears completion, the female lays a single egg inside of the nest. They then provision the pot with a caterpillar or beetle larva that has been paralyzed by a sting. The pot is then sealed with a clay plug leaving the paralyzed prey to await the wasp's hatchling larva.
Eumeninae Potter and Mason Wasps
Eumeninae (Subfamily)
Description
• Eumeninae is a subfamily of wasps in the family Vespidae, commonly known as potter wasps or mason wasps. Members are generally solitary and have slender bodies, narrow waists, and often yellow, black, brown, or reddish markings. Many species build small nests from mud, while others use hollow stems, cavities, or existing holes. Their body shapes and nesting behaviours vary considerably among genera.
Range
• Potter and mason wasps occur worldwide, particularly in tropical and temperate regions. It is native to Zihuatanejo, Guerrero, and the surrounding area.
Habitat
• Members of Eumeninae inhabit a wide range of environments, including tropical dry forest, scrubland, grasslands, woodland edges, gardens, and urban areas. Adults are often seen visiting flowers, searching for nesting materials, or inspecting vegetation for prey.
Diet
• Adults commonly feed on nectar and other sugary plant secretions. Females typically hunt caterpillars, beetle larvae, or other small invertebrates, depending on the species, and provision their nests with prey for their developing larvae.