Which species of Vespula? - Euodynerus annulatus

Moved

… Ken Wolgemuth, 14 October, 2014 - 7:51am

ID'd: Euodynerus annulatus

Pat Porter at TAMU helped me identify this wasp. Apparently the females are gathering water to build the mud tubes I've often seen on the ground in my short grass prairie and wondered about.

Interestingly, I see that on this site there have only been 4 reported sightings of them in Texas in October, and mine more closely resemble the ones sighted in New Mexico:

http://bugguide.net/node/view/860467

I will try to get a better photo to submit for your use on the site.

(This also means there is something else in the storage building stinging my family!)

… flowerweaver, 14 October, 2014 - 7:27am

Moved for expert attention

Moved from ID Request.

Are you sure you don't have more than one species nesting in your storage building? Eumeninae are solitary wasps; they don't live in colonies.

With luck, an expert will be able to give you a species.

Welcome to BugGuide!

… Ken Wolgemuth, 5 October, 2014 - 6:52pm

Could be

Could be, Ken. This wasp (and many just like it) were landing on the surface of a kiddie pool to drink all day long. It's very close to the storage building, so I may have incorrectly assumed this is what is actually living in there.

There are A LOT of whatever it is coming and going from the building; it's as active as my beehive right now. At first I thought they were a split, but they don't fly like my honeybees. Soon I will need some farming tools from in there.

I've been trying to figure out a way to get a photo of what's coming and going, or to capture one for study without be harmed myself. I suppose it would be helpful to see what kind of nest they have built but after seeing the swelling their stings produce I'm even nervous about putting on my bee suit and going in for a look!

… flowerweaver, 5 October, 2014 - 9:07pm

reminds me of Euodynerus pratensis

or something similar

… metrioptera, 5 October, 2014 - 6:37pm