Drakha, the huntress wasp
With its appearance of a flying ant, this wasp Pemphredon, known as the "mason wasp," is an exceptional hunter and a solitary insect that nests in the stems of plants with soft, tender, and dry pith such as brambles, elderberry, or rose bushes.
The Pemphredon Wasp
Solitary wasps, the Sphecidae family represents more than 400 species in France. Often small and black, some are large and colored yellow or red. The adults feed on nectar, also acting as pollinators.
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Exceptional hunters, they prey on aphids, spiders, and grasshoppers, dragging them back to their nest where a grim fate awaits their victims. These prey will serve as a food supply for their voracious offspring. Their nests can be found on the ground, in plant supports (dead wood, stems...), or in cavities.