Red Potter Wasp Delta dimidiatipenne
Description:
Medium-sized wasp measuring between 19–23 mm, with most of the body in red color, a black and red thorax, and an elongated narrow waist formed by the fusion of the thorax and the first segment of the abdomen, which is colored red. The abdomen is mainly black. The first pair of wings is brown with a black tip, and the second pair of wings is membranous and fused with the first pair during flight. The antennae are red with black tips.
Biology:
Potter wasps, as the name referee, build nests by mixing mud and sand with saliva. These nests are typically build in walls or rocks. The female hunts Lepidoptera caterpillars and places them in the nest where eggs are laid. When the larvae hatch, they feed on the paralyzed caterpillars. The venom paralyzes but doesn’t kill the caterpillar. Adults feed on nectar from Acacia blossoms.
Habitat and Distribution:
Widespread in deserts and semi-deserts in Middle East and North Africa to East India.
