Paper wasp - ouch

I got this picture of a paper wasp sitting on a leaf in the garden.

These wasps gather fibre and mix it with their saliva. With this mixture they build their nests. The nests are constructed with this paper mixture in a hexagon form. The base of the nest is treated with a chemical they produce to fend of ants. This protects the brood.

Around 1100 different species of paper wasps have been identified in the world. That made me realise how difficult it must be to identify all the different species ! I suppose the wasps only differ in minute ways from each other!

Paper wasps are usually not aggressive and will only attack if their life or nests are threatened.