Potter Wasps: Nature's Tiny Vase-Makers and Caterpillar Hunters

That delicate, urn-shaped mud structure on your Russian sage? It's a nursery built by a potter wasp—a solitary, non-aggressive relative of mud daubers. The female constructs the pot from mud, stocks it with paralyzed caterpillars, lays a single egg on the prey, and seals it. When the larva hatches, it has a fresh larder waiting.

You found 8–9 caterpillars inside—impressive provisioning! Potter wasps are beneficial predators that help control caterpillar populations. They're typically black, slender, and not interested in stinging humans. Unlike paper wasps, they don't defend nests aggressively.

Leave Them Be

If you spot another pot, leave it alone. The wasp is doing your garden a favor. Enjoy the fascinating architecture and the free pest control.

Potter wasp mud urn on Russian sage