Will they visit?: Mud-potter Wasps frequently visit home gardens
Natural Distribution: Common and widespread throughout the South West and Perth region
Eumeninae – (CC)Bill & Mark Bell. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Australia License (Atlas of Living Australia)
Eumeninae – (CC)geoffbyrne. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Australia License (Atlas of Living Australia)
Eumeninae – (CC)geoffbyrne. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Australia License (Atlas of Living Australia)
Eumeninae – (CC)Jean Hort. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Australia License (Atlas of Living Australia)
Habitat at a Glance
See Habitat Guide for more detail
Shelter: Mud shelters
Diet: Primarily nectar and some invertebrates
Water: Large ponds and damplands
ReWild Benefit: Pest control and pollination
Habitat Guide - Shelter
Natural Shelter
As their name indicates, Mud-potter Wasps create their own shelter with mud. The intricately built mud shelters are chambered, each storing an egg and paralyzed prey (such as spiders and caterpillars). Mud-potter wasps are incredibly adaptable and build their shelters along fences, walls, against large rocks, and occasionally on the trunk of large trees.
Novel Shelter
Not required.
Habitat Guide - Food and Water
Providing natural sources of food
Mud-potter Wasps feed on nectar and hunt for small invertebrates (particularly caterpillars). Mud-potter Wasps quiet aerobatic as they search for potential prey in foliage of shrubs, trees, and groundcovers. Plant a diverse garden to provide a large range of foraging habitat.
Avoid commercial non-native seeds advertised for bee gardens. These plants may not be suitable for native wasps and have the potential to become serious weeds.
Providing sources of water
Mud-potter Wasps will visit bird baths and ponds for a drink. Frog ponds are popular breeding and foraging habitat for Mud-potter Wasps. Ponds and damplands provide muddy substrates the wasps will frequently collect for their shelters. Wasps run the risk of drowning if they fall into a bird bath or pond. Wasps run the risk of drowning if they fall into a bird bath or pond. Placing partially submerged rocks or sticks will provide an avenue for a bee to safely leave the water.
ReWild Benefits
Mud-potter wasps are not aggressive and opt to retreat to the safety of their nest, but will sting if handled. Native wasps are critical in sustaining local biodiversity as they can pollinate a greater variety of native plants compared to honeybees. Similarly, they prey on pest species such as flies. If you see this wasp in your garden, you can record your sighting on the Atlas of Living Australia.
