Paper Wasp Nest 2 – Polistes humilis, metal railing, Panorama Point.
This is a native wasp which is found in every Australian state except Tasmania.
Wasps have a poor reputation because of their painful sting, which is the case with this species, but they are pollinators of many plants.
The way the nest is suspended, just hanging by a thread from a metal railing, is a masterpiece of engineering. The wasps make their nests by mixing saliva with weathered wood.
A nest may be used for many years, being added to as the colony increases. Body length is 10-15 mm.
