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Red Wasp
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| [Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note |
Common Name: Paper wasp
Scientific Name: Polistes sp.
Order: Hymenoptera
Description: Paper wasps are 3/4 to 1 inch long, slender, narrow-waisted wasps with smoky black wings that are folded lengthwise when at rest. Body coloration varies with species: Polistes exclamans is brown with yellow markings on the head, thorax and bands on the abdomen; Polistes carolina is overall reddish-brown.
Paper wasps should not be confused with yellowjackets (Vespula squamosa Drury) and baldfaced hornets (Dolichovespa maculata (Linnaeus)). Paper wasp nests are open and cells are not covered with a cap (in an envelope).
Life Cycle: Paper wasps are semi-social insects and colonies contain three castes: workers, queens and males. Fertilized queens, which appear similar to workers, overwinter in protected habitats such as cracks and crevices in structures or under tree bark. In the spring they select a nesting site and begin to build a nest. Eggs are laid singly in cells and hatch into legless grub-like larvae that develop through several stages (instars) before pupating. Cells remain open until developing larvae pupate. Sterile worker wasps assist in building the nest, feeding young and defending the nest. A mature paper wasp nest may have 20 to 30 adults. In late summer, queens stop laying eggs and the colony soon begins to decline. In the fall, mated female offspring of the queen seek overwintering sites. The remainder of the colony does not survive the winter.
Habitat, Food Source(s), Damage: Mouthparts are for chewing. Nests are built from wood fiber collected from posts and occasionally from live plant stems, causing some plant damage. This fiber is chewed and formed into a single paper-like comb of hexagonal cells. Nests are oriented downward and are suspended by a single filament. Mature nests contain up to 200 cells. Paper wasps prey on insects such as caterpillars, flies and beetle larvae which they feed to larvae. They actively forage during the day and all colony members rest on the nest at night.
Wasps can be found on flowers, particularly from goldenrod in late fall. Paper wasp nests can be dislodged from eaves using sprays of high pressure water from a good distance, taking precautions not to allow wasps to attack nearby people or pets. Wasps will eventually abandon the nest.
Pest Status: Nests commonly occur around the home underneath eaves, in or on structures and plants; wasps attack when the nest is disturbed and each can sting repeatedly; stings typically cause localized pain and swelling, but in sensitive individuals or when many stings occur (as with most arthropod stings) whole body (systemic) effects can occur including allergic reactions that may result in death; males are incapable of stinging because the stinger on the females is a modified egg-laying structure (ovipositor) and it is not present in males; wasps feed on insects, including caterpillar pests, and thus are considered to be beneficial insects by many gardeners.
source: http://insects.tamu.edu/fieldguide/cimg348.html |
Necipp, jmirah, eqshannon, pablominto, marmottelolo, magal, Maite, iris, oscarromulus has marked this note useful
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The wasp is well detailed and the colors are brilliantly displayed. One thing you might consider is using PS shadow/highlight tool to get a little more definition on the flower.
Hello Angelina nice focus and sharpness good background tfs rgds Necip.
Hello Angelina,
I like the point of view, and the composition is dynamic!
Good details in the insect, full of pollen all over as it is...
Well done on macro work, non-intrusive background!
Greetings,
Pablo -
You are getting super at depth of field!!!! That really makes it a great picture Angel! I think that shall be your new name from me now. Perhaps tho you are a Sprite! Wandering mischievously through the fields of Texas, taking pictures with your eyes and soul......
- Argus
![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 4079 W: 190 N: 12063]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-g-g.gif)
(37165) - [2007-05-14 10:11]
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Wow, Angy, this shot of a Paper Wasp is quite impressive!
This is sharp and with excellent Bg and I like the way he is waiving one of his legs as if to say, 'hold it a minute!'
Maybe the only small point to make on this one is a little more cropping on the left side to take the main subject off the center and so that the wasp is facing into the picture. But it's a small point..
TFS and have a good week!
Ivan
bonjour angelina
une tres jolie espece de guepe,j'aime sa couleur et vous avez su la mettre en valeur en vous placant a bonne hauteur pour la prendre.
excellent.
laurent
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- magal
![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 224 W: 0 N: 313]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-n-g.gif)
(1241) - [2007-05-14 15:20]
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Hi Angy,
Very strange paper wasps you have stateside! Ours are black, with yellow stripes and markings, making them very similar to the common and german wasps.
Beautiful compo with well blurred BG and very attractive POV. Pity there's no eye contact but nature photography does not always allow for ideal conditions.
TFS
Mark
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- Maite
(5195)
- [2007-05-14 17:39]
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Hi Angelina!
What a curious wasp! I had never seen this kind.
Great sharpness, DOF and colors, and fantastic composition.
Magnificent job!
Best wishes
Maite
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- isa
![Silver Star Critiquer/Silver Note Writer [C: 49 W: 0 N: 33]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/s-n-s.gif)
(250) - [2007-05-14 17:47]
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Hi Angelina,
Great pic, very reality, good focus.
Excelent composition and color.
Well Done,
Best REgards,
Isa
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- iris
(3084)
- [2007-05-15 21:11]
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Woman Do u see Green in my letters.....i'm turning absolutley envious of ur environs .....Lolz...this is such a beautifulf compsootion....and ur phtographs 're all so original..
TFS & Cheers
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- joey
(24733)
- [2007-05-23 3:35]
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Hi Angy,
this is amazing!!!!
Very good DOF and composition.
Well done,
Joey
Angelina,
Both images are of EXCELLENT quality. I meant the original & the W/Sed one.
Details are sharp, good job. A lot of "pollen".
DOF is excellent too.
On the whole this is A1 stuff. Well done.
Greetings from your Canadaian TN pal,
Mario.
![Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1190 W: 14 N: 2372]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-s-g.gif){kind=small}
![Gold Star Critiquer [C: 1110 W: 15 N: 21]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-n-n.gif){kind=small}