[Clayart] Potter's Wasp

[mel jacobson]

 Potter wasp, Eumenes spp. (Vespidae), constructs a nest of clay that appears like a tiny vase attached to a twig or other object, provisioned with insect larvae (stung, paralyzed caterpillars and beetle larvae). Some potter wasp species utilize hollowed twigs, deserted mud wasp nests or cavities such as key holes or holes in brick walls of buildings for nesting sites. Adults are commonly seen foraging on flowers. Female potter wasps do not defend their nests, so nests can be scraped off surfaces and dissected to reveal larval or pupal stages and food stores. Wikpda

The problem we have at the farm from potter's wasps and mud daubers is that they will pack ends of hose for our kilns.
we have to dunk the hose ends in hot water, then clear the hole with a nail.
add the hose to our compressor and blow it out.

Most of the plugging of burners is done by spiders that can be fixed fast with a simple probe.

Being an old time bee keeper I really hate to destroy or spray bees or Wasps. A handy note to
pass on at a party. "never blow on bees to get rid of them. just be gentle and push the bee off
of you with your finger nail.

David Hendley of Texas collects and fires his wasp homes. As he says...:they use my clay to make
their homes and I fire them and sell them."  Actually I have seen two/tone nests. The potter obviously
uses both stoneware and porcelain clay.
mel
website: www.melpots.com
www.melpots.com/CLAYART.HTML