— see Abispa ephippium | Acarozumia amaliae | Australodynerus | Delta latreillei | Delta philantes | Paralastor sp | Pseudabispa bicolor ssp. nigrocinctoides — also see Australian Large Wasps | Australian Mud Nest Wasps

The Eumeninae, are a cosmopolitan wasp group that are a subfamily of Vespidae. In the past, they were recognized as a separate family, Eumenidae. Commonly known as Potter wasps or Mason wasps.

Checkout some of the wasp genera/species on this website from the links above.

The following images taken in Alice Springs, Northern Territory, is one of the Subfamily Eumeninae species.

Eumeninae sp, Alice Springs, NT
Eumeninae sp, Alice Springs, NT

This species of Eumeninae has taken up residence in a vacated mud wasp nest, which currently is the nesting structure for the Megachile aurifrons (evident by the resin capped holes).


  • Scientific classification
  • Kingdom: Animalia
  • Phylum: Arthropoda
  • Class: Insecta
  • Order: Hymenoptera
  • Family: Vespidae
  • Subfamily: Eumeninae
  • Genus: there are some 200 genera containing over 3,000 species

Footnote & References

  1. Subfamily Eumeninae – Potter Wasps and Mud Nesting Wasps, Brisbane Insects and Spiders Home Page, https://www.brisbaneinsects.com/brisbane_vespoidwasps/Eumeninae.htm
  2. Potter wasp, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potter_wasp (last visited Dec. 10, 2021)
  3. Part 4. What other insects will use my bee hotel?, Aussie Bee, https://www.aussiebee.com.au/bee-hotel-other-visitors.html

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

InsectsBees Beetles Blattodea Butterflies Coleoptera Cicada Crabronidae Diptera Dragonflies & Damselflies Formicidae Hemiptera Mango Planthopper Moths Orthoptera Orthopteroid Processionary Caterpillar Stink Bugs, Shield Bugs and Allies Syrphidae Wasps Water Scorpion (Laccotrephes tristis) Witchetty Grub