Potter Wasp

The Potter Wasp, sometimes called Mason Wasp, was named for the fact that the female makes a pot in which her off-spring begins life. She paralyzes one or several caterpillars and places them in the small pot with one egg and seals the pot. She repeats this process until all her eggs are laid. The larva eats the caterpillars and breaks out of the pot when it is grown. The adult wasps survive on nectar. There may be several generations each year. There are around 270 species of Potter Wasp in North America and around 3000 world-wide. The one pictured here is Eumenes Fraternus. Some species are quite colorful. They do not guard the pots, and they are not aggressive. They are considered very beneficial in the control of caterpillars.