A worldwide community photographing and learning about wildlife
Belonogaster dubia
Same spotting as before, but a week or so later. There are now two wasps on the nest, and most of the egg receptacles have an egg in now. According to Wikipedia, the wasps are used in traditional medicine Africa as well. (See notes below from Wiki) On the first photo, there are 3 black dots between the eyes, called occelli, which are simple eyes with which the wasps detect from where light is coming from.
Most terrestrial habitats throughout South Africa.
Belonogaster is a large genus of mainly Afrotropical quasisocial wasps, although some species occur in Arabia and two extend as far as India. They have characteristics of both the eusocial and the solitary wasps. Belonogaster constructs communal paper nests where the grubs are fed on masticated, soft-bodied insects such as caterpillars. Belanogaster wasps are an important food source for wintering European honey buzzards Pernis apivorus in sub-Saharan Africa. In African traditional medicine, wasps of the genus are cooked with plant roots and consumed to cure various childhood sicknesses, as well as having ceremonial use similar to that of honey bees Apis mellifera. Some birds choose to build their nests near the nests of Belonogaster for protection, including mousebirds and weavers.
4 Comments
Brilliant... I used to be so scared of them as a kid growing up in Klerksdorp!
Thanks guys!
Super shots Johan...!!
Wow fantastic!