Common Wasp

Description:

Common Wasp, black and gold striped wasp with kidney shaped eyes.

Habitat:

Seen on tree leaves by the river in rural New Zealand. They were feeding on honey dew from aphid infestation.

Notes:

These particular wasps were very busy feeding on either the honey dew excretions from the infestation of aphids on the tree.. or the mould growing on the honey dew. This particular year, these aphids infested many areas in New Zealand and because of them the wasp population rose to extraordinary levels and caused many problems. Then we had a huge cyclone, all the aphids dissapeared, and so did the wasps..