# Wasp colony

- By: Alvesgaspar
- Date: March–April 2008
- Classification: Photograph
- Museum: [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Wasp_colony.jpg)
- Rights: [CC BY-SA 3.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)
- Picture: https://invisiblenetwork.ai/thumbs/commons/thumb/1/1a/Wasp_colony.jpg/1920px-Wasp_colony.jpg
- Who can see it: Teens profiles and older (museums give no ratings; placed by Invisible Network from the museum's own words)

A young paper wasp queen (Polistes gallicus) is founding a new colony. The nest was made with wood fibers and saliva, and the eggs were laid and fertilized with sperm kept from last year. Now the wasp is feeding and taking care of her heirs. In some weeks, new females will emerge and the colony will expand. The timespan between the older and more recent photos is about one month 1 - The nest with only a few cells. * 2 - New cells being made with mashed fibers and saliva. * 3 - A caterpillar was caught and is being chewed to feed the larvae. * 4 - Feeding the larvae. * 5 - Using the wings as a fan to cool down the larvae. * 6 - The wasp guarding her heirs.