Pitted Mason Wasp
Euodynerus foraminatus
These wasps are 'mass-provisioners,' meaning the mother caches all the food her larva will ever need in a single mud-sealed chamber before the egg even hatches.
- Scientific name
- Euodynerus foraminatus
- Taxonomy
- Animalia › Arthropoda › Insecta › Hymenoptera › Vespidae › Euodynerus
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- forest
- Habitat
- Forest edges, meadows, and suburban gardens containing pithy-stemmed plants or dead wood.
- Diet
- Adults feed on floral nectar; larvae are carnivorous, consuming paralyzed caterpillars provided by the mother.
- Range
- North America, Southern Canada, Mexico
- Size
- 10-15 mm
- Lifespan
- 1 year (predominantly spent as larvae/pupae); adults live 4-8 weeks.
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Broad-spectrum insecticide use and the removal of dead wood or hollow-stemmed plants used for nesting.
- Safe to approach?
- This species is non-aggressive and harmless to humans unless physically handled or crushed. They are solitary and do not defend a hive. If stung, the sensation is similar to a mild bee sting; wash the site with soap and water and monitor for rare allergic reactions.
Euodynerus foraminatus is a species of potter or mason wasp in the family Vespidae.
Photo: Bill Keim, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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