Dave Bevan / Common wasp (Vespula vulgaris) adding material to nest, Carmarthenshire, Wales, UK, July.

Ingo Arndt / Common wasp (Vespula vulgaris) detail of nest surface, Hessen, Germany, April.

John Abbott / Paper wasp (Polistes metricus) flying from flower, Tuscaloosa County, Alabama, USA Controlled conditions. September

Alex Hyde / Common Wasps (Vespula vulgaris) feeding on a pot of jam, photographed against a white background. Derbyshire, UK. September.

Andy Sands / Hunting Wasp (Ectemnius cavifrons) female carrying paralysed hoverfly in flight toward tunnel entrance in rotten log. Hertfordshire, England, UK, July.

Stephen Dalton / Mud dauber wasp (Sceliphron caementarium) flying over cactus spines, Everglades NP, Florida, USA

Kim Taylor / Spider-hunting Wasp (Priocnemis exaltata) female with prey. Surrey England.

Morley Read / Eusoical wasps (Polybia) swarming from the entrance of their nest hanging under a leaf, Napo Province, Ecuadorian Amazon. (non-ex)

Morley Read / Eusocial wasps (Polybia) at the entrance of their nest hanging under a leaf, Napo Province, the Ecuadorian Amazon. (non-ex)

Morley Read / Eusocial wasps (Polybia) swarming from the entrance of their nest hanging under a leaf, Napo Province, Ecuadorian Amazon. (non-ex)

Chris Mattison / Green wasp (Ropalidia sp), two, one guarding nest. Andasibe-Mantadia National Park, Madagascar.

Chris Mattison / Green wasp (Ropalidia sp), two, one guarding nest. Andasibe-Mantadia National Park, Madagascar.