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| A colony of common wasps usually comprises 3000 to 4000 animals although colonies of 10,000 wasps are not uncommon. As many as 50,000 common wasps have been found living in one colony (in New Zealand for example). Labour in the colony is organised. The intensity of brood care is similar to that of bees. While the adult wasps are vegetarian - feeding on nectar from plants and other sugary juices the larvae of Vespidae are fed on the protein rich meat of other insects. | | |
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| Various bee species, including honey bees, store food to ensure the survival of the entire colony in times of food shortage (winter, the rainy season in the tropics). During the winter a beehive needs to maintain a minimum temperature of 10 degrees Celsius, otherwise the entire colony would die. The food stock of bees (honey) is edible even at very low temperatures. | | |
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| ...with wax. The queen then forms a small tub of wax, puts pollen in it and then lays 5 to 15 eggs on the pollen. It also builds a second, slightly larger vessel for nectar (for food on rainy days) . In the period up to August the population of the colony grows from 60 to 150 animals. During the months of September and October the colony (with the exception of the queen) dies. | | |
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| Saxon Wasp - Dolichovespula saxonica | | The Saxon Wasp - Dolichovespula saxonica is a species of the genus Yellowjacket. It is a colony building insect. The queens reach body lengths of 15 to 19 mm, the workers 11 to 15 mm and the drones, 13 to 15 mm. The colony can comprise 200 to 300 animals. The wasp has markings on its head which look like a crown? It is found in open countryside and wooded hills, in breeding boxes for birds, hedges or buildings.
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| The German wasp nests underground. Construction begins in spring. The wasps often nest in spaces previously used by other animals which are then expanded. The colony usually comprises 3000 to 4000 animals. Even nests of 7000 wasps are not uncommon. The nests can have a circumference of 2 meters. The division of labour is organised in the colony. The intensity of the brood care is like that of the bees. The larvae of Vespidae are fed on the meat of insects. | | |
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| Vespa crabro reproduce once a year. As a social wasp, it counts among the colony building insects. The colony has a life span of one year. The population comprises 100 to 700 (in extreme cases up to 1000) hornets. | | |
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| Ants | | Ants (Formicidae), a family within the order Hymenoptera, are among the colony building insects and are found almost everywhere in the world, but are especially common in the tropics. From the 12,500 species that are known, 180 can be found in Europe. In Germany, the Red forest ant and the Black garden ant are the best ... | | |
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| Bombus pascuorum | | Bombus pascuorum is a very common bumblebee. It is one of the colony building insects. The head, chest and back are brown in colour with the abdomen of some insects being bright or dark. The queens reach a body length of up to 22 mm, and the drones, up to 18 mm while the workers are considerably smaller. The Bomb... | | |
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| The red-tailed bumblebee | | The red-tailed bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius) is one of the best-known bumblebee species in Central Europe. It is one of the colony building insects. Its body is mostly black, with the end of the abdomen being brownish red in colour. The male Bombus lapidarius has a yellow towel on its chest. | | |
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| Bombus lapidarius nests in stone walls or clusters under piles of rocks. It is also found in straw in stables or in abandoned bird nests.
A colony of Bombus lapidarius comprises 100 to 200 workers. They prefer nectar from clover and deadnettles. In 2005, Bombus lapidarius was the Insect of the Year.
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