Delta latreillei (Potter Wasp)Potter Wasp – identity crisis Potter Wasp – larder Potter Wasp – mud nest Potter Wasp – water

Sometimes referred to as the Orange Potter Wasp and Mud Wasp, the Potter Wasp (Delta latreillei, previously classified as Eumenes latreilli) are found throughout Australia. They are often seen around bodies of water, including bird baths and fish ponds, where they collect water to mix with sand/clay that is available to them in the area. From this mixture they create their mud nests. Sometimes Potter Wasp will add to existing mud nests, creating larger structures. They fill the mud nest with food for their larva, usually laying one larva per nest cell in different parts of the mud nest. A single mud nest can have a number of nesting cells.

Potter Wasp (Eumenes latreilli) taking food back to mud nest, Alice Springs
Potter Wasp (Delta latreillei) taking food back to mud nest, Alice Springs

In the following series of photos, we witness a closeup example of the Potter Wasp returning to with a caterpillar to pack in the mud nest. There is a great photo of the Potter Wasp curving its abdomen around the caterpillar whilst it is shoving the caterpillar head first into the mud nest.

Following is another series of photos of the Potter Wasp (Delta latreillei) also packing in caterpillars for the larder.

The hole is then sealed. The evidence of the larvae having pupated into the adult wasp and having left the nest is the exposed hole opening.

Sealing the larva and food in the cell of the mud nest of the Mud Wasp (Eumenes latreilli), Alice Springs, NT
Sealing the larva and food in the cell of the mud nest of the Mud Wasp (Delta latreillei)

In the following images, the nest was damaged and you could see the content of the larder that would have fed the Mud Wasp larvae.

Further investigation of the damaged mud nest showed there was more then one larva indicating more then one nest cell.

In the following series of images you can see the young mud wasp larva. The adult mud wasp will be returning with caterpillars to pack the nest, before sealing the entrance.

Stocking the larder of the Mud Wasp (Eumenes latreilli), Alice Springs, NT
Mud Wasp (Delta latreillei) stocking the larder for the larva, Alice Springs, NT

  • Scientific classification
  • Kingdom: Animalia
  • Phylum: Arthropoda
  • Class: Insecta
  • Order: Hymenoptera
  • Family: Vespidae
  • Subfamily: Eumeninae
  • Genus: Delta
  • Species: Delta latreillei

    previously
  • Genus: Eumenes
  • Species: E. latreilli

Delta latreillei (Potter Wasp)Potter Wasp – identity crisis Potter Wasp – larder Potter Wasp – mud nest Potter Wasp – water

WaspsAustralian Large Wasps Australian Mud Nest Wasps Mud Wasp Abispa ephippium Acarozumia amaliae Aulacidae Australodynerus Bembicinae Bembix Blue Hairy Flower Wasp Braconidae Chrysididae Cryptocheilus bicolor (Orange Spider Wasp) Delta latreillei (Potter Wasp) Eumeninae Ferreola handschini (Orange-collared Spider Wasp) Flower Wasps Gasteruptiid Wasp Hairy Flower Wasps Isodontia (Grass-carrying Wasp) Lissopimpla excelsa (Orchid Dupe Wasp) Mutillidae Paralastor sp. Pseudabispa bicolor ssp. nigrocinctoides Radumeris radula (Yellow Hairy Flower Wasp) Radumeris tasmaniensis (Yellow Hairy Flower Wasp) Sceliphron laetum Thynnid Wasps Tiphiidae Yellow and Black Wasp