sebastiankrix
PolistesCarolina
I found this little fellow hanging out on the stairs beside me while I was waiting for class to start. This wasp species is also known as Polistes Carolina, or red paper wasp. Because this wasp species is a social species, they undergo extensive grooming using their mandibles to clean themselves and each other. This grooming process removes debris and parasites from the organism, which in return helps maintain a disease-free nest. These nests are usually found in protected areas, like tree cavities or man-made structures. To build their nest, they chew on plant fibers and use their saliva to create a paper like substance, hence their name. When finished, these nests look like an upside-down umbrella. Also, Polistes Carolina’s diet consists of smaller insects and plant nectar, making it economically important. Not only do they rid the plant of parasites (e.g. caterpillars), but also assist in the pollination process by flying from plant to plant trying to retrieve their nectar.
PolistesCarolina
I found this little fellow hanging out on the stairs beside me while I was waiting for class to start. This wasp species is also known as Polistes Carolina, or red paper wasp. Because this wasp species is a social species, they undergo extensive grooming using their mandibles to clean themselves and each other. This grooming process removes debris and parasites from the organism, which in return helps maintain a disease-free nest. These nests are usually found in protected areas, like tree cavities or man-made structures. To build their nest, they chew on plant fibers and use their saliva to create a paper like substance, hence their name. When finished, these nests look like an upside-down umbrella. Also, Polistes Carolina’s diet consists of smaller insects and plant nectar, making it economically important. Not only do they rid the plant of parasites (e.g. caterpillars), but also assist in the pollination process by flying from plant to plant trying to retrieve their nectar.