Red Wasp (Polistes carolina)
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There are two species of paper wasp that are common in Austin. Nests of the striped species are often seen and easily avoided. Those of the red wasp, though, are frequently located in hidden places, such as under the rim of a plant container or under dense foliage. Because of this, it is much more common to be stung by red paper wasps than by their striped cousins. Red wasps are actually not very aggressive, but will defend their nest when it is disturbed. Adult wasps feed mainly on nectar and other sweet substances. They do, however, hunt caterpillars and other soft-bodied insects to feed their grubs, and are therefore very beneficial against garden pests.
The wasp pictured here was collecting wood pulp from a juniper branch used in a fence. It spent a long time scraping minute bits of wood into a bundle before flying off with its load. The wood is the raw material with which the paper wasps build their nests.
class: Insecta / order: Hymenoptera / family: Vespidae / genus: Polistes / species: carolina
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