Most interesting little rascals. They have decided to make this old gourd their new home. Hope I remember not to disturb them. They appear to the using their mouth to do all their work. When I first noticed them, I heard this crunching sound and I thought it was a mouse in one of the gourds eating seed. Later I discovered it was not a mouse, that the yellow jackets were coming and going in and out the gourd at the top where it had a larger opening (which they have since closed). They have since all but closed up the crack on the top of the gourd and recently started covering this gourd with this masterful - artful work.
What kind of yellow jacket?
Looks like the Asian Giant Hornet to me.
http://www.antoniuniphotography.com/p262875143
Definitely Vespula sp. (yellowjackets); likely V. maculifrons, but V. flavopilosa also a possibility (images not clear enough to be certain)...
Thank you Flapdoodle, I think you are right - I Googled and came up with V. maculifrons being the culprit. Judging from the photos below - don't you think?
One interesting tidbit I found was that they destroy many insects that consume cultivated and ornamental plants. I liked that thought.
That innocent face..........
He is "innocently" hard at work making a good home and providing for his kids, just like all of the good human dads= it's all in perspective, isn't it
Wasps patrol my asparagus, scanning every frond for beetle grubs.
When I'm out and about working in the gardens - flower beds, etc., I never see these yellow jackets - never. They sure are ambitious when it comes to building.
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