PREMAPHOTOS / Mud-dauber wasp (Sceliphron fistularium) adding a cell to her nest in Amazonian rainforest, Brazil

Juan Manuel Borrero / Wasps's nest on forest floor, Bahuaja Sonene National Park, Peru

Neil Bromhall / Common wasp queen nest building (Vespula vulgaris) UK

Philippe Clement / Common wasp {Vespula vulgaris} scraping wood for nest, Belgium

Kerstin Hinze / European Paper Wasps ( Polistes gallicus) at nest caring for larvae, Austria

Konstantin Mikhailov / Wasp nest in woodland, Yakutia, Siberia, Russia

Philippe Clement / Nest of Paper wasps (Vespidae) Costa Rica, Central America

Philippe Clement / Paper Wasps swarming around their nest in tree, Tapanti NP, Costa Rica.

Philippe Clement / Paper Wasps swarming around their nest in tree, Tapanti NP, Costa Rica.

Dave Bevan / Median wasp {Dolichovespula media} section through nest with grubs and developing adults, UK.

Dave Bevan / Median wasp {Dolichovespula media} showing inside of nest with grubs and sealed chambers, UK.

Philippe Clement / European paper wasp {Polistes dominulus} on nest, Gran Paradiso NP, Alps, Italy

Philippe Clement / European paper wasp {Polistes dominulus} on nest, Gran Paradiso NP, Alps, Italy

Dave Watts / Honey Buzzard (Pernis apivorus) adult eating extracting wasp larvae from wasp nest to feed to chicks, Europe

Dave Watts / Honey Buzzard (Pernis apivorus) adult eating extracting wasp larvae from wasp nest to feed to chicks, Europe

Dave Watts / Honey Buzzard (Pernis apivorus) adult digging out waps larvae from wasp nest to feed to chicks, Europe

Dave Watts / Honey Buzzard (Pernis apivorus) adult eating extracting wasp larvae from wasp nest to feed to chicks, Europe

Kim Taylor / Mason wasp {Symmorphus sp} carries mud ball to form cell in nest in dead wood, UK.

Kim Taylor / Solitary wasp {Oxybelus uniglumis} carrying fly pierced on sting to nest, UK.

Doug Wechsler / Eastern yellowjacket nest {Vespula maculifrons} adults tending larvae, Pennsylvania, USA

Doug Wechsler / Eastern yellowjacket nest {Vespula maculifrons} with egg, larva, pupa and adult, USA.

Doug Wechsler / Eastern yellowjacket nest {Vespula maculifrons} with adult tending pupae, Pennsylvania, USA.

John Cancalosi / European paper wasp female (note straight antennae) USA {Polistes dominulus}.

Doug Wechsler / Eastern yellowjacket nest {Vespula maculifrons} with egg, larva, pupa + adult, USA.

Doug Wechsler / Eastern yellowjacket nest {Vespula maculifrons} with eggs in cells, Pennsylvania, USA.

Doug Wechsler / Eastern yellowjacket nest {Vespula maculifrons} with larvae, Pennsylvania, USA.

John Cancalosi / European paper wasp female (right) feeds regurgitated caterpillars to male. USA

Doug Wechsler / Eastern yellowjacket nest {Vespula maculifrons} with larvae, Pennsylvania, USA.

John Cancalosi / European paper wasp female at nest {Polistes dominulus} USA. Introduced to Boston area.

Doug Wechsler / Eastern yellowjacket nest {Vespula maculifrons} adults tending larvae, Pennsylvania, USA.

Doug Wechsler / Eastern yellowjacket nest {Vespula maculifrons} adults tending larvae, Pennsylvania, USA.

John Cancalosi / European paper wasp female at nest {Polistes dominulus} USA, introduced to Boston area.

Doug Wechsler / Eastern yellowjacket nest {Vespula maculifrons} with adults and larvae, Pennsylvania, USA

John Cancalosi / European paper wasp female at nest {Polistes dominulus} USA. Introduced to Boston area.

Kim Taylor / Female bee killer wasp {Philanthus triangulum} with honey bee prey makes nesthole.

Kim Taylor / Tree wasp queen sleeping in partially constructed nest, egg in cell. UK.

Kim Taylor / Hunting / field digger wasp {Mellinus arvensis} female at burrow entrance, UK.

Kim Taylor / Nest of Saxony wasp exposed to show workers tending larvae + eggs. UK.

Kim Taylor / Nest of Saxony wasp {Dolichovespula saxonica} exposed to show interior, UK.

Kim Taylor / Spoil heaps outside hunting / field digger wasp burrows in sand bank, UK.

Kim Taylor / Nest of Saxony wasp exposed to show workers tending larvae + eggs. UK.

Kim Taylor / Sand wasp {Ammophila pubescens} plugs burrow entrance before hunting. UK.

Kim Taylor / Saxony wasp queen building nest {Dolichovespula saxonica}, UK.

Kim Taylor / Nest of Saxony wasp {Dolichovespula saxonica} exposed to show workers tending

Kim Taylor / Common wasp workers {Vespula vulgaris} flying in and out of nest hole, UK.

Kim Taylor / Paper wasps' nest {Ropalidia sp}, Northern Australia.

Kim Taylor / Hunting / field digger wasp {Mellinus arvensis} female at burrow entrance, UK.

Kim Taylor / Median / French wasp {Dolichovespula media} nest with workers ready to attack, Europe

Kim Taylor / Sand wasp {Ammophila pubescens} takes caterpillar prey to burrow. UK.

Kim Taylor / Common wasps {Vespula vulgaris} at nest entrance. One paint marked. UK.

Kim Taylor / Hunting / field digger wasp {Mellinus arvensis} female takes fly prey into burrow, UK.

Kim Taylor / Saxony wasp queens at nest entrance waiting to be fed by returning workers, UK.

Kim Taylor / Common wasp workers {Vespula vulgaris} flying out of nest hole, UK.

Kim Taylor / Tree wasp queen {Vespula sylvestris} sleeping in partially constructed nest. UK.

Kim Taylor / Tree wasp nest {Vespula sylvestris} showing workers mutual feeding, UK.

Kim Taylor / Sand Wasp (Ammophila pubescens) drags caterpillar into its burrow. Surrey, UK.

Kim Taylor / Sand Wasp (Ammophila pubescens) excavating burrow. Surrey, UK.

PREMAPHOTOS / Female Mud dauber wasp building nest cell {Sceliphron fistularium} Brazil

PREMAPHOTOS / Common wasp nest showing larvae and capped cells containing pupae {Vespula vulgaris} UK

PREMAPHOTOS / Female Mud dauber wasp adds mud to nest {Sceliphron fuscum} Madagascar

PREMAPHOTOS / Social wasps on nest in tropical dry forest. Madagascar {Polistes fastidiosus}

PREMAPHOTOS / Social wasps on nest beneath leaf {Mischocyttarus alfkenii trinitatis} Trinidad

PREMAPHOTOS / Nocturnal social wasps rest during day at nest in rainforest {Apoica pallens} Brazil

PREMAPHOTOS / Wasp nest with drip tips to channel rain, tropical dry forest. Costa Rica {Polybia occidentalis bohemani}

PREMAPHOTOS / Social wasps cluster on nest in semi-desert. Chile {Polistes buyssoni}

PREMAPHOTOS / Paper wasps on nest feeding larvae in cells {Polistes semenowi} Corfu, Greece

PREMAPHOTOS / Female Mud dauber wasp collects mud for nest building {Eumenes fenestralis} S Africa

PREMAPHOTOS / Potter wasp female nest building in desert {Delta dimidiatipenne} Israel

PREMAPHOTOS / Potter wasp collecting dry soil for nest building in desert {Delta dimidiatipenne} Israel

PREMAPHOTOS / Social wasp inspects pupating larvae {Polistes cavapyta} Argentina

PREMAPHOTOS / Dominant social wasp chews wing of subordinate {Polistes cavapyta} Argentina

PREMAPHOTOS / Social wasps offer food bolus to larvae in cells {Polistes cavapyta} Argentina

PREMAPHOTOS / Social wasps chew food to make bolus for larvae, Australia {Polistes stigma townsvillensis}

PREMAPHOTOS / Social wasps {Polistes myersi currasavicus} on nest on cactus plant, Bonaire, Antilles

PREMAPHOTOS / Wasp adds mud to tiny nest in rainforest {Liostenogaster sp} Sumatra

PREMAPHOTOS / Wasp completes entrance to conical nest. {Eustenogaster calyptodoma} Sumatra

PREMAPHOTOS / Social wasps on nest in tropical dry forest {Ropalidia pomicolor} Madagascar

PREMAPHOTOS / Wasp nest under leaf {Protopolybia exigua} Cerrado, Brazil

PREMAPHOTOS / Small social wasps {Polybia occidentalis cinctus} from a swarm start to build A new nest under a Heliconia leaf. Trinidad

PREMAPHOTOS / Communal eumenine/potter wasps wasps on mud nest in rainforest {Montezumia sp} Costa Rica

PREMAPHOTOS / Hunting wasp {Bembicinus sp} drags paralysed treehopper into nest burrow. Borneo

George McCarthy / Common wasps on nest {Vespula vulgaris} UK

George McCarthy / Common wasp nest {Vespula vulgaris} UK

PREMAPHOTOS / Mud dauber wasp putting spider into nest cell as food for its larva, Brazil {Sceliphron fistularium}

George McCarthy / Orb web / Wasp spider nest {Argiope bruennichi} UK

Philippe Clement / Common wasp leaving underground nest {Vespula vulgaris} Belgium

Philippe Clement / Common wasps leaving underground nest {Vespula vulgaris} Belgium

Tony Heald / Sociable weaver's nest {Philetairus socius} with wasps' nests. Namibia

George McCarthy / Common wasps on nest {Vespula vulgaris} UK

PREMAPHOTOS / Potter wasp female building third mud nest in desert. Israel {Delta dimidiatipenne}

PREMAPHOTOS / Potter wasp female building mud nest in desert, Israel {Delta dimidiatipenne}

PREMAPHOTOS / Social wasps at nest {Polistes instabilis} Mexico

Philippe Clement / Common wasps leaving underground nest {Vespula vulgaris} Belgium

Philippe Clement / European paper wasp on nest {Polistes dominulus} Italy

Solvin Zankl / Social wasp at nest {Vesperidae} Amazonia, Brazil

Premaphotos / Communal sphecid wasp (Trigonopsis sp) adding a pellet of mud to the outside of its communal nest on a tree in Amazonian rainforest, Brazil