Unlike other wasps, like yellowjackets and paper wasps, Mud Daubers build their nests using mud, hence their name. They also take care in choosing the right consistency, texture, and thickness. One can find their nests attached to buildings or under eaves.
Inside the Mud Dauber’s nests are individual cells that contain immobilized spiders, which the wasp larvae eat. As adults, mud daubers become pollinators, seeking out pollen and nectar.
The Mud Dauber wasps enjoy a solitary lifestyle that balances hunting enough spiders to feed their young and pollinating flowers. These solitary wasps can hum and are not an aggressive wasp species.
Sand wasps create elaborate underground burrows on sandy terrain like beaches and dunes2. Moreover, their burrows have separate chambers to store food for their larvae. Each room contains immobilized insects, such as flies or beetles, stung by the wasp and captured.
Moreover, Sand Wasps practice “sand bathing,” covering themselves in sand grains to regulate their body temperature and deter predators. They are active in the daytime, eating flower nectar.
Like spider wasps, the Tarantula Hawk wasp uses a paralyzing sting to immobilize its prey, including tarantulas, hence the name. Once the tarantula is captured, the wasp brings it to a specially prepared burrow. Then, it lays a single egg on the spider’s body. When the larva hatches, it begins feeding on the still-living tarantula.
This solitary wasp measures an average of two inches in length. It has a blue-black body with rust-colored wings.
Despite their gruesome hunting methods, Tarantula Hawks are relatively harmless to humans. They generally reserve their potent sting for their prey. However, if you do provoke them, they can give you an excruciating sting.
Unlike their larvae, adult Tarantula Hawks eat nectar, with a strong fondness for milkweed.
Before moving on to other types of wasps, here’s something to remember: Did you know that all hornets are wasps, but not all wasps are hornets?
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.
