Metric Paper Wasp

Polistes metricus

The Metric Paper Wasp is a friendly insect that builds nests out of paper-like material. They are helpful because they eat pests like caterpillars and flies, making gardens healthier!

Hábitat: Urban areas

Aspecto

The Metric Paper Wasp has a slender, reddish-brown body with distinct yellow markings, particularly on its head and abdomen. It's identifiable by its unique way of folding its wings lengthwise when at rest, making them appear narrow and pointed.

ReinoAnimaliaFiloArthropodaClaseInsectaOrdenHymenopteraFamiliaEumenidaeGéneroPolistes

Metric Paper Wasp

Categoría

Insectos

Rareza

Common

Peligro

2/5 · Bajo

Snaps

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Datos interesantes

The tiny wasp larvae produce a sugary liquid that adult wasps love to drink!

They often build their umbrella-shaped paper nests under sheltered eaves or porch roofs!

Wasp queens can produce a special chemical to keep other females from laying eggs!

Worker wasps communicate danger to their sisters using vibrations and chemical signals!

Habilidades especiales

Metric Paper Wasp can build intricate nests from chewed wood fibers and saliva, which helps them create a safe home for their young.

Metric Paper Wasp has a potent sting that helps them protect their colony from predators and perceived threats.

Metric Paper Wasp can hunt and paralyze caterpillars and other insect larvae, providing protein-rich food for its growing young.

Medidas y detalles

Envergadura: 25-35 mm
Tamaño: 13-20 mm
Esperanza de vida: 30-60 días
Velocidad de vuelo: 20 km/h
Cantidad de patas: 6
Tamaño de la colonia: 200

Dieta y alimentación

Adults drink nectar, while larvae feast on chewy insects like caterpillars!

Diferencias por edad: Adults consume plant sugars; larvae are fed captured insects by worker wasps.

Alimentos principales

nectar
fruit juices
caterpillars
insect larvae
honeydew

Método de búsqueda

Foraging

Conexiones ecológicas

hunts

Eastern Tent Caterpillar

Malacosoma americanum

Prey for developing wasp larvae.

hunts

Tobacco Hornworm

Manduca sexta

Common caterpillar prey for protein.

eaten by

European Garden Spider

Araneus diadematus

Can be caught in spider webs.

pollinates

Common Milkweed

Asclepias syriaca

Adults visit flowers for nectar.

Rasgos

Social

Los animales sociales viven en grupos organizados, cooperando para obtener beneficios de supervivencia como la búsqueda de alimento, la defensa y la cría de descendencia.

Omnívoro

Este rasgo identifica organismos cuya dieta incluye tanto materia vegetal como animal.

Colorido

Colorido describe a organismos u objetos que exhiben una amplia variedad de colores brillantes y distintivos.

Insectívoro

Este rasgo identifica a los organismos cuya dieta consiste principalmente en insectos y otros pequeños invertebrados.

Diurno

Los animales diurnos están activos principalmente durante el día y suelen descansar o dormir por la noche.

Especie clave

Describe una especie cuya presencia y papel tienen un efecto desproporcionadamente grande en su entorno.

Adaptado a la ciudad

Esta característica de hábitat indica especies que pueden coexistir con los humanos en entornos urbanos y suburbanos, utilizando estructuras artificiales y espacios verdes.