The Four-toothed Mason Wasp are identifiable by their metallic blue-black body with a slender cylindrical shape. They are aptly named after the unique distinguishing feature - four teeth gracing their mandibles.

This type of wasp predominantly inhabits North America, from the central United States northeastern region into southern Canada. They are smaller than other wasps and feed their larvae with captured caterpillars and moths.

The European Paper wasps are not native to the United States. Their bodies have black and yellow streaks, which one might confuse with yellow jackets.  

These paper wasps flourish in temperate zones and thrive in human-dominated environments. They create their nests in cavity walls, roof spaces, trees, and shrubs.

While most wasps are solitary, these social paper wasps thrive in complex, cooperative societies.

The Cuckoo Wasp has a metallic appearance whose colors range from blues and greens to reds and yellows. They lay their eggs in the nests of other wasps or solitary bees instead of building nests or collecting food. Once the Cuckoo Wasp's larvae hatch, they consume the host's eggs or larvae. 

Moreover, the Cuckoo Wasp has an armored body that can roll into a defensive ball when threatened.

Cuckoo Wasps live in lush forests and arid deserts. Their parasitic reproductive strategy also naturally regulates the population of their host species.

Potter wasps construct small, vase-like nests from mud or clay, hence the name. They carefully mold the material using their mandibles and legs to create a sturdy and protective home for their offspring.

These wasp nests provide a nursery and a pantry for a single egg. Moreover, the wasp ensures that a paralyzed caterpillar or beetle larvae await the hatching wasp for a first meal. 

Potter Wasps prefer tropical locales, but they can survive different weather conditions. Their bodies are primarily black or brown with shades of yellow, white, red, or orange. 

Additionally, Potter Wasps are relatively harmless to humans and will only sting when provoked. Gardeners appreciate their help in controlling the population of pests such as caterpillars and beetle larvae. 

During winter, the Potter Wasp turns its nest into a refuge from the cold. The queen assigns larger cells to fertilized eggs that will become females and smaller ones to unfertilized eggs destined to be males.

Despite its name, the Velvet Ant is a type of wasp. This species was named because the females are wingless and look like ants. However, males have wings and look like typical wasps. 

The Velvet Ant has velvety fur with red, orange, or yellow shades. They typically consume flower nectar while living in arid deserts, lush forests, and vast grasslands. They are known as the “cow killer” because their sting is excruciating. If you see one, keep a safe distance.

The reproduction process of Velvet Ants is ruthless but fascinating. They lay their eggs in the nests of ground-nesting bees and other wasps. Once the larvae hatch, they feed on the host insect's eggs or larvae.

Their tough exoskeleton also wards off predators and helps them survive harsh conditions. Moreover, they can emit a loud squeak or chirp when threatened. They can “play dead” to deceive potential threats if all else fails.

Urban sprawl and commercial agriculture continue to encroach on wild forests. Converting the natural environment for industrial and urban use causes biodiversity loss. Wild animals and plants lose their habitat, food supply, and natural protection. Urbanization also introduces harmful chemicals and invasive species that affect untouched natural land areas nearby.

Water resource depletion is another problem urban dwellers face. Developers often convert slow-moving streams into drainages. Groundwater and surface water can also be depleted for domestic and industrial purposes, leading to water scarcity.

Excessive consumption puts undue pressure on resources like trees, metals, and minerals. Some resources are not renewable, but even those renewable are being consumed faster than the Earth can renew them. Overconsumption of natural resources affects humans and wildlife.

Concepts in sustainable land use include compactness, redeveloping existing infrastructure, green spaces, and housing affordability. Eliminating unnecessary space consumption in the name of luxury and mixed-use development helps save space. Hydroponics enables space-saving urban farming, while permaculture allows agriculture to co-exist with wildlife. 

Rather than buying up virgin land, developers should consider redeveloping brownfields and gray fields. Preserving historic sites, biodiverse green spaces, and recreational open spaces should remain critical. 

Filling up every open space with buildings and factories is not sustainable. An open space can be used as a park or some other recreational purpose that promotes the well-being of residents. 

Urban growth boundary is a technique used to control urban encroachment. It involves designating certain areas of a state for urban expansion and mandating that developments are contained within them.

Cities run on energy, accounting for about 75% of global energy consumption. Sustainable energy allows cities to power development while reducing adverse environmental effects. They can save energy in all sectors, including transport, building, street lighting, and agriculture. 

Renewable energy is one of the strategies for sustainable energy use. Cities should intensify efforts to leverage solar, wind, hydro, and biomass to produce clean and sustainable energy. That would help cut back on fossil fuel emissions significantly.

Energy-efficient buildings also offer opportunities to cut back energy use, covering the construction phase and its operational life cycle. So, builders should use eco-friendly construction materials and techniques that allow natural thermal regulation and lighting.

Sustainable urban development advocates integrating biodiversity into the built environment. It aims to ensure that plant and animal communities remain resilient not as immaculate lawns and potted plants but as biodiverse ecosystems that offer ecological services.

Biodiverse green spaces, green roofs, natural waterways, bio-corridors, eco-brutalist architecture, etc, typify sustainable urban landscapes. 

To achieve that, city authorities mandate the conservation of high-value ecosystems home to critical or endangered species. They also ensure that green spaces are occupied by appropriate native vegetation that supports pollinators and small animals.

Some say sustainable cities are a utopia that can only exist in imagination. However, various sustainable practices executed across America and Europe prove possible.