Wasps

I’m a wasp watcher, enjoying their splendid colors and bizarre forms as they fly among the flowers. In 2026, I saw very few wasps.

Here are some wasps who visit here when the weather is better for them.

Hornets and Yellow Jackets (subfamily Vespinae)

I rarely see yellowjackets here, but three species appeared in the spring of 2025. They can be aggressive, unlike other wasps, who suffer from the yellowjackets’ reputation for painful stings. I know where there nests are and give them a wide berth.

Eastern Yellowjacket (Vespula maculifrons)

Ground Yellowjacket (Vespula)

Southern Yellowjacket (Vespula squamosa)

Potter and Mason Wasps (subfamily Eumeninae)

Four-Toothed Mason Wasp

Fraternal Potter Wasp

Hidalgo Mason Wasp (Euodynerus hidalgo ssp. boreoorientalis)

Smiling Mason Wasps (Ancistrocerus campestris)

Paper Wasps (subfamily Polistinae)

Hunter’s Little Paper Wasp (Polistes dorsalis)

Metric Paper Wasp (Polistes metricus)

Scoliid Wasp (family Scoliidae)

Double-Banded Scoliid Wasp (Scolia bicincta)

Noble Scoliid Wasp (Scolia nobilitata)

Two-Spotted Scoliid Wasp (Scolia dubia spp. dubia)

This subspecies is the blue-winged scoliid with two yellow spots.

Thread-waisted Wasps (family Sphecidae)

Common Thread-waisted Wasp

Gold-marked Thread-waisted Wasp (Eremnophila aureonotata)