Great Black Wasp Nest

Nests in the Ground

Great black wasp females build underground nests where she cares for and nourishes her offspring with insects that she captures and brings back to the nest. In areas where the great black wasp lives, they can be seen flying with a paralyzed prey insect in their mouth and then placing the prey in the below-ground nest.

Typically, the nest is constructed in soft, well-drained soil. The female wasp uses her mouthparts and legs to remove soil from the nest site and relocate the excavated soil to the ground surface.

Egg Chambers

The nest is made up of long egg chambers that the female wasp makes from 2-6 paralyzed prey for the larvae feed on. When an egg chamber is ready, the female will lay an egg on the prey and close the chamber. When all egg chambers are sufficiently provisioned, she will close the entire tunnel complex by using her head to tamp down and compact the soil around the tunnel entrance.