Metric paper wasp
The metric paper wasp is a dark, rusty red and black wasp with yellow feet. It builds an open paper nest under roofs, in sheds and barns, or on trees and bushes. A whole family of wasps raises its young there.
How fast is it?
Fun facts
It can tell how far it is flying. For a short trip it leaves the nest flying straight out, for a long trip it first flies high up into the sky.
It may use the same nest for more than one year.
On hot summer days, the wasps fly to ponds to drink.
A new nest is usually started in May by just one female.
Most asked questions about Metric paper wasp
?Where do metric paper wasps build nests?
Under roof edges, in sheds and barns, and on trees and bushes. They like big, bright spots.
?What do metric paper wasps eat?
They catch soft insects like caterpillars to feed their young.
For bug experts
- Scientific name
- Polistes metricus
- Named by
- Say, 1831
- Group
- Wasps and hornets
- Family
- Vespidae
- Classification
- Insecta > Hymenoptera > Vespidae
- Lives on
- North America
- Also known as
- Metricus paper wasp
Where the facts come from
- Polistes metricus (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0): what it looks like, where it lives, what it eats, sizes and fun facts, retold in simple words.
- Picture by xpda. CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons. The round sticker of this bug is cut from the same picture.
If we got something wrong, sorry, we are bug fans, not a science journal. Tell us at [email protected] and we will fix it.
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