The red color of the nest comes from water that the wasp got from a nearby
hummingbird feeder. At the left, a wasp is tending to a grub inside a cell, beneath
her front feet. Behind her is a wasp emerging from a cell. The tiny breaks in some
of the cell  covers is where, from inside the cell, a wasp is cutting open the cell
cover, in the process of emerging from the cell. The wasp comes out of the cell,
waits around for a few seconds while it's wings dry and then is able to fly. A
companion DVD details many processes of interest, such as preparing food for the
grubs, feeding the grubs, closing the cells, cooling the nest, interaction between
wasps and other details. This is the first time a have seen a wasp nest with this
coloring. There were so many nest that I began to spray them with wasp spray.
As I started to spray this one, to my great amazement, I noticed the red color.
Fortunately I had not gown too far with the evil deed before I saw the red coloring.
The wasps continued to add color to the nest and it was soon obvious that the
source was the hummingbird feeder.

NEXT      Green Wasp Nest      Wasps Again      Main Index

Additional material from the source text for Wasp Household DVD

Wasp Household
A wasp prepares a green ball of plant food for the baby wasps (grubs). She
homogenizes the food. Several completed cells are shown. A completed cell has
a dome-like cover that closes the cell, enclosing the grub. Three grubs are seen in
open cells. A wasp stimulating another wasp to regurgitate a drop of clear fluid
(water for grubs?). The drop is placed at the opening to cells containing a grub.
A wasp fans her wings to cool the nest. There was one unusual pink grub. Finally
two wasps engage in what appears to be a fierce fight. But it may be that it is
accepted “aggressive” stimulation between wasps since other wasps ignore
the commotion.