Mexican Grass-carrying Wasp
Isodontia mexicana
Heather Holm
Summary
This solitary wasp prefers renovation to new construction, utilizing pre-existing cavities or even sharing the active nests of other bees or wasps. Nests are partitioned with fine bits of grass or other plants that the female collects nearby. Once she’s provisioned each cell with insect prey (katydids and tree crickets), she closes the nest with a dense mass of grass blades that protrude from the opening. As with other solitary wasps, grass-carrying wasps are non-aggressive and do not actively defend their nests.
Ecosystem Connections
Grass-carrying wasps drink nectar from, and pollinate, a wide variety of plants, including yarrow, mountain mints, asters and goldenrod. Insect prey include several varieties of tree crickets and katydids.