Ruby-tailed Wasp in her nest hole...

[Paul]

Six photo's from watching and trying to capture in focus photos of the ruby-tailed wasp (well, 5 of her, cos one is the male that came to check on  her). These ruby-tailed wasps are rarely still even for a half a second,  but what amazed me watching and snapping away at this female, was that  after checking loads of possible holes out (rawl plugs even!) in the  brickwork, when she found the one she wanted, she actually reversed her  body into the hole so that once inside, she would be facing the exit. The hole she is in must be considerably less thank an inch deep, but that  means she is safe enough. The male in the fifth photo actually found her  after about 30 seconds and did move into the same hole as she was in - I don't know if he was checking her out for safety or delivering food or just sounding out where he has to go to copulate when they are ready.


 

 

 

Paul.

[FUJI]

Hi, Paul,

This is one brilliant sequence ......well done you.

FUJI

[Paul]

Hi, Paul,

This is one brilliant sequence ......well done you.

FUJI

 

 

Thanks Fuji. She was a pleasure to watch, but so hard to get in focus due to her constant movement as she searched the wall.

 

Interestingly, these insects do not live in colonies like Honey Bees; instead the female builds a nest by herself, stocks it with pollen and lays an egg within each cell she has created. However, the adults of the Ruby-tailed Wasp are a little lazier: the females actually lay their eggs in the nests of other solitary bees and wasps, especially Mason Bees. When the eggs hatch, they eat the larvae of the Mason Bees and develop - this gives the Ruby-tailed Wasp its other name of 'Cuckoo Wasp'. Today though, she has chosen a hole in the wall...

 

 

Paul.