Vespula germanica (German wasp)
Vespula germanica (German wasp)
Written by Thursday, 05 November 2009 00:00
"After the planet becomes theirs, many millions of years will have to pass before a beetle particularly loved by God, at the end of its calculations will find written on a sheet of paper in letters of fire that energy is equal to the mass multiplied by the square of the velocity of light." Primo Levi
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Vespula germanica (family: Vespidae; common name: German wasp - EU; Yellowjacket - US) The German wasp, or European wasp, Vespula germanica, is a wasp found in much of the Northern Hemisphere, native to Europe, northern Africa, and temperate Asia. It has been introduced and is well-established in many other places, including North America, South America (Argentina and Chile), Australia and New Zealand. German wasps are part of the family Vespidae and are sometimes mistakenly referred to as paper wasps because they build a grey paper nest—although, strictly speaking, paper wasps are part of the subfamily Polistinae. In North America, they are also known as yellowjackets. The German wasp is about ½ inch (13 mm) long, and has typical wasp colours of black and yellow. It is very similar to the common wasp (Vespula vulgaris), but seen head on, its face has three tiny black dots. German wasps also have black dots on their abdomen, while the common wasp's analogous markings are fused with the black rings above them, forming a different pattern. This common and widespread wasp collects insects including caterpillars to feed to its larvae, and is therefore generally beneficial. The adults feed on nectar and sweet fruit, and are also attracted to human food and food waste, particularly sodas and meats. This insect is an easy subject for photography since it will normally will not fly away especially if it is feeding on something. Avoid harassing the nests since they become extremely aggressive when they feel threatened while their poison is painful and dangerous due to the possibility of anaphylactic shock. The nice colouration includes a bright yellow and bands of black which makes an interesting, full of contrast image. (1) In these photos we captured the insect feeding. The first photo shows it feeding on nectar in the summer (we suspect this insect could be a common wasp (Vespula vulgaris). In the second and third photos the wasp locateda tiny insect on a leaf and then caught it with its jaws – while its abdomen is covered with pollen. The fourth photo shows another wasp feeding on the body of a dead snail. The last two photos show a wasp feeding on a rather large insect – in these photos the wasp’s mouth as well as the characteristic three black dots on the forehead are clearly visible. Photos by Marina Parha and George J. Reclos Shooting Data: 1.Camera: Nikon D3x 2. Camera: Nikon D3x 3. Camera: Nikon D3x 4. Camera: Nikon D3x 5. Camera: Nikon D3x 6. Camera: Nikon D3x |
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