Goofy
Paper wasps are vespid wasps that gather fibers from dead wood and plant stems, which they mix with saliva, and use to construct water-resistant nests made of gray or brown papery material. Some types of paper wasps are also sometimes called umbrella wasps, due to the distinctive design of their nests.
Found this paper wasp (looked like a coarse-back red paper wasp but not sure) resting on a barrel pot last evening. Seemed in no rush to take off and wasn’t bothered much as I approached it. It did move a bit but nothing overly dramatic. After a while it started chewing on what looked like a tiny bug (zoom in and you’ll be able to see) - guess I walked in at dinner time! After a couple minutes, started cleaning its eyes and face with front legs and then leg itself by licking on it. That’s the moment I have captured here.
Photographed hand held with manual focus, diffused flash; 1:1 magnification ~20% crop; PP in LR5. The vertical angle did not allow for an appealing background though. Not the best composition but nonetheless an interesting subject and experience all together.
Atul Saluja, United States, Boston
