Macro Paper Wasp in flight.

Paper Wasp in flight. · 01:39 AM

Homing in...................

Adam · 08-30-2010, 03:34 PM

Heh, nice! Like the shadow here.

**eaglem** · 08-30-2010, 04:51 PM

Thank you for your comment.

Paleo Pete · 08-30-2010, 05:08 PM

Good shot, those guys are not easy to capture, I've been trying all summer and very few in flight, all honey bees.

However...that's not a Paper Wasp, it's a Yellow Jacket but I don't know which one, don't have my book with me. They're even more difficult to shoot than Paper Wasps, at least the wasp will sit still occasionally, Yellow Jackets only light rarely and briefly. I've been trying to shoot those all summer too, and I don't think I've gotten a keeper shot yet. The yellow and black pattern is common to Yellow Jackets, varies with the different ones, as well as workers etc. Hornets are similar.

Here's a Paper Wasp.

Photo Scavenger Hunt Post

**eaglem** · 08-30-2010, 07:06 PM

Interesting, over here we call them paper wasps because they make a nest out of paper type material with pentagonal chambers in which they lay their eggs. There are two types here, the Black and Yellow one as shown in my photo and the other type is also Black and Yellow but has Brown bands mixed in.

We are told the difference between the paper Wasp and the European Wasp is that the paper Wasp flies with it's rear legs hanging while the European Wasp flies with all legs tucked up.

Paleo Pete · 08-31-2010, 04:28 PM

Interesting! I had no idea they would be called by so very different and confusing common names in different places. Your description is right, they build a similar paper nest to the paper wasp over here, and the common name is for the same reason.

The yellow jacket we have here also builds a paper nest, and has very similar markings, and a few other wasps are here that also look fairly similar. Here's a wiki

Yellow jacket - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

concerning mostly the German Yellow Jacket, the most common one in the states. But the one we call a paper wasp is the one in the picture I linked earlier. You can also look throught the google images here

yellow jacket - Google Search

and see several varieties, including one I saw that's pretty similar to your paper wasp.

Very interesting, thanks for the info. Just goes to show you're never too old to learn...

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08-30-2010, 03:34 PM	#2
Adam Administrator Site Webmaster Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Arizona Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 51,594	Heh, nice! Like the shadow here. Adam PentaxForums.com Webmaster (Site Usage Guide \| Site Help \| My Photography) PentaxForums.com server and development costs are user-supported. You can help cover these costs by donating or purchasing one of our Pentax eBooks. Or, buy your photo gear from our affiliates, Adorama, B&H Photo, KEH, or Topaz Labs, and get FREE Marketplace access - click here to see how! Trusted Pentax retailers:

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08-30-2010, 04:51 PM	#3
eaglem Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Perth Western Australia Photos: Gallery Posts: 43,144 Original Poster	Thank you for your comment.

08-30-2010, 05:08 PM	#4
Paleo Pete Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Texas Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,880	Good shot, those guys are not easy to capture, I've been trying all summer and very few in flight, all honey bees. However...that's not a Paper Wasp, it's a Yellow Jacket but I don't know which one, don't have my book with me. They're even more difficult to shoot than Paper Wasps, at least the wasp will sit still occasionally, Yellow Jackets only light rarely and briefly. I've been trying to shoot those all summer too, and I don't think I've gotten a keeper shot yet. The yellow and black pattern is common to Yellow Jackets, varies with the different ones, as well as workers etc. Hornets are similar. Here's a Paper Wasp. Photo Scavenger Hunt Post

08-30-2010, 07:06 PM	#5
eaglem Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Perth Western Australia Photos: Gallery Posts: 43,144 Original Poster	Interesting, over here we call them paper wasps because they make a nest out of paper type material with pentagonal chambers in which they lay their eggs. There are two types here, the Black and Yellow one as shown in my photo and the other type is also Black and Yellow but has Brown bands mixed in. We are told the difference between the paper Wasp and the European Wasp is that the paper Wasp flies with it's rear legs hanging while the European Wasp flies with all legs tucked up.

08-31-2010, 04:28 PM	#6
Paleo Pete Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Texas Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,880	Interesting! I had no idea they would be called by so very different and confusing common names in different places. Your description is right, they build a similar paper nest to the paper wasp over here, and the common name is for the same reason. The yellow jacket we have here also builds a paper nest, and has very similar markings, and a few other wasps are here that also look fairly similar. Here's a wiki Yellow jacket - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia concerning mostly the German Yellow Jacket, the most common one in the states. But the one we call a paper wasp is the one in the picture I linked earlier. You can also look throught the google images here yellow jacket - Google Search and see several varieties, including one I saw that's pretty similar to your paper wasp. Very interesting, thanks for the info. Just goes to show you're never too old to learn...