Paper Wasp

Paper Wasp Nest

We've been watching a nest of Paper Wasps forming on the roof of our patio cover.  There always seem to be some of the wasps on the nest.  They apparently create the paper to form the nest by chewing wood and plant material and there's plenty of that available in our yard, particularly with the straw we just spread around the various beds.  We're hoping they'll eat the straw to form the paper for the nest rather than the growing plants.

We'll probably just leave the nest alone.  We've watched them from a cautious distance, but the wasps don't seem to be interested in us and they do eat caterpillars, flies and beetle larvae, to which they are more than welcome.  They'll be particularly welcome if they pick any Hornworms off the tomatoes.