Wasps making paper from bamboo

[Mark Meckes]

While standing underneath our now aging bamboo gourd trellis ...
http://www.bamboocraft.net/gallery/data/524/thumbs/GourdTrellisFrontView.jpg (http://www.bamboocraft.net/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=1429)

... I heard a scratching sounds and noticed Paper Wasps scraping the surface of the bamboo, gathering material to use for nest building:

http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/data/516/medium/PaperWaspAuTX070405-6403.jpg (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showphoto.php?photo=3947) See large image (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showphoto.php?photo=3947&size=big&cat=516)

Note how the wasp is gathering and macerating the scraping into a ball, and the strip of culm surface that has been scraped clean:
http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/data/516/thumbs/PaperWaspAuTX070405-6404.jpg (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showphoto.php?photo=3946) http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/data/516/thumbs/PaperWaspAuTX070405-6405.jpg (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showphoto.php?photo=3945)

Wasps nest made 'mostly' from bamboo:
http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/data/516/thumbs/PaperWaspAuTX070406-6559.jpg (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showphoto.php?photo=3944) http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/data/516/thumbs/PaperWaspAuTX070406-6556.jpg (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showphoto.php?photo=3943)

The above pics appear to be 2 types of Polistes spp. wasps but will need to do some more research to verify species.

Mark

[Mark Meckes]

A Moso pole was leaning on edge of a building to dry and a paper wasp decided the protected underside was a good place to build a nest.
This is the anchor to which the raised platform of the nest would be built upon.
Paper Wasp nest anchor on bamboo
http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/data/516/thumbs/WaspNestAuTX070308-5315.jpg (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showphoto.php?photo=3949)
It is interesting that the wasp picked out a rough scarred spot on the fresh bamboo with which to secure the anchor.
It is probably made from macerated bamboo pulp because there is plenty of it around for the wasp.

[Mark Meckes]

Paper wasp nest suspended beneath a Bambusa canopy

http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/data/516/medium/PaperWaspAuTX070915-9018.jpg (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showphoto.php?photo=5073) View large (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showphoto.php?photo=5073&size=big&cat=516)

These paper wasps are very beneficial, keeping down the population of webworm caterpillars that set up house on our Pecan tree, and other not so garden friendly critters.
I am surprised how tolerant they are of my presence ... as is shown by how close I can get up to them to take their pic.
This is not the case with hornets from what I have read, though I haven't yet had the opportunity to find out :eek:

[floraman1]

Mark,

Depending upon a number of variables, these wasps (commonly called yellow jackets) can be extremely aggressive. Be very careful around these. They are beneficial, but I can tell you that a person can be up to 10 feet away, and if they don't like what that person is doing, don't like the color of that persons clothes, or seemingly "just because" they feel like it, these critters can attack without warning. The stings are very painful and can cause anaphylactic allergic reaction in some people. Death can come within minutes. Please be careful and alert others to known nests if you choose to allow these types of wasps to remain close by. Good luck!

[floraman1]

Update - Did a little research and found that, in fact, I have never been stung by a true "yellow jacket"

I believe that regionally, here in central and south Texas, we have commonly used "yellow jacket" in naming those yellow and brown or blackish striped paper wasps. These paper wasps in the picture here (the picture you were quite lucky to get so close to without being stung) are serious wasps, though technically not true Yellow Jackets. I have simply walked past a nest and have been attacked. Please be careful with these, Mark. They can be very aggressive. Your picture of them clearly reveals that they were very aware of your proximity to them and not happy about the situation. Please use extreme caution around these yellow paper wasps.

[Mark Meckes]

Hi Ed,
Thanks for the warning!
I too was wary of these wasps, as their favorite place to set up their nests are under the overhang of our house roof.
But they would never to attack me when I would go by them, and even when a nest was made above our doorway they would just fly around, a little disturbed, then continue on with their nest building, (though ocassionally one would fly indoors so I knocked off this nest).

So after taking these pics I checked with my Audubon Field Guide to North American Insects and determined that they are the less agressive Paper Wasp, as written ...

"Paper Wasps are much more tolerant of people and minor disturbances than are hornets and yellow jackets.
The Northern Paper Wasp Polistes fuscatus, 5/8" - 7/8" (15-21mm) is dark reddish brown and yellow with it's first abdominal segment banded yellow.
It is common from British Columbia to the Canadian Maritime Provinces, south to West Virginia.
The Southwestern Texas Paper Wasp Polistes apachus, 1/2" - 5/8" (13-15mm) is reddish brown with yellow markings.
It occurs in Texas, New Mexico, southern California and Mexico."

I would agree that anyone with young children or who is sensitive or allergic to stings should still be very wary.
However I've learned to accept the Paper Wasp if it's nests are built out of the way, and I no longer go on a rampage and attack them with a vengance like I used to with a can of bug spray killer.

On the other hand ... it mentions
Yellow Jackets ... Females will sting repeatedly at the least provocation.
Hornets ... Adults are extremly protective of the nest and will sting repeatedly if disturbed.

Mark