#australian paper wasp

[ljsbugblog]

just for fun, a compilation of every wasp species I've seen drink from the pond so far.

Spider Wasp, genus Fabriogenia.

Potter Wasp, subfamily Eumeninae.

Potter Wasp, genus Paralastor.

Square-headed Wasp, subfamily Crabroninae.

Vase-cell Mud-dauber Wasp, Sceliphron formosum.

Square-headed Wasp, genus Pison.

Australian Paper Wasp, Polistes humilis.

[drhoz]

#2176 - Polistes humilis ssp. humilis - Southern Australian Paper Wasp

A species of Vespid found in the SE of Australia and which has, unfortunately, been introduced to northern New Zealand.

These wasps build paper nests as seen here under the awning of the picnic shelter, and have been known to re-utilize old nests. They're a eusocial wasp, and there are distinct behavioral differences between queens and workers, but the castes are anatomically identical. Like most social wasps, will defend the nest with their painful sting if they feel their sisters are threatened.

There are 11 different Polistes species found in Australia, and the Polistes humilis is the most common and widespread, although it and P. variablis can be difficult to tell apart and the latter has been considered a subspecies of humilis. The other recognised subspecies, P. humilis synoeus, can be found in Queensland and the SW of the continent.

The Rock, NSW

[quietplaceinthestars]

Reigniting my interest in a niche topic but being confident enough in it to post about it, just so I can complain.

I want this book so fucking bad.

I have to have a well rounded understanding of Australian paper wasps. I have to. They compel me.

[ardentguilt]

Been watching these Australian Paper Wasps (Polistes Humilis) also known as the Common Paper Wasp building this nest on the trunk of a tree I pass on my trips to the store.

First photo was taken 16 days ago. The second photo and video I took today.

You can see they’ve closed over more cells in the nest. These closed cells contain larvae that have entered the pupation stage. The cells that are still open contain either an egg or a wasp larvae.

Australian paper wasps contrary to what some may think given Australian animals’ reputation are actually not as agressive as the introduced European paper wasps are.

They can still give a nasty sting but this species will usually once go after you if they feel you’re threatening their nest. By moving slowly, keeping my distance and making use of the zoom feature of my phone’s camera I’ve been able to get these photos and video of their progress without aggroing them.

This group has made quick work constructing the nest to this point as there was no nest at all in this location just a month ago.

Somewhere amongst the wasps you see working on the nest here is the queen wasp but visually she’s entirely indistinguishable from every other wasp in the colony.

These wasps are primarily a reddish brown coloration with thin yellow bands and brownish colored wings.

The larvae of this species feeds on caterpillars which the adult wasps hunt and bring back to the nest. The adult wasps however feed on nectar from flowers.

The nests themselves are constructed from wood shavings harvested by the adult wasps which are then mixed with saliva to form a mouldable pulp.

Unlike most wasp species this species has been noted to reuse old nests year after year, simply adding on new construction to the old.

[chainsawworld]

[elementalgod-aj]

Anthro Allies Remastered (Part 10)

Now the Third and Final Part of the Arthropods

Endoterygota

Emorrossa (Insect Queen)

Lord Hexagath (Insect King)

Sawfly

Buzza (Sawfly)

Team 

Stem sawfly

Horntail

Cedar wood wasp

Webbed Leaf

Xyelid

Megalodontes

Parasitic Wasps

Crimson the Abominable (Thistledown velvet ant)

The Hoard

P. Wood wasp 

Sirex Woodwasp

Ichneumon Wasp 

Gall wasp

Chalcid Wasp

Fairy wasp

Ensign Wasp

Crowned Wasp

Cuckoo wasp (Emerald wasp)

Velvet Ant (Cow killer)

Spider Wasp (Tarantula Hawk)

Tiphiid wasp

Scoliid wasp 

Mammoth Wasp

Cockroach wasp (Jewel Wasp)

Sand digger wasp

Cicada Killers

Ant hunter wasp

Bee wolf 

Aphid wasp

Eusocial Wasp

Queen Assaut

King Vespa

Prince Axe

Princess Strike

Warriors

Hornets

Yellow jackets

European wasps

Paper Wasps

Executioner wasps

Warrior wasps

Potter wasps

Hover wasps

Pollen wasps

Honey Wasp

Ants

Queen Amber

King Ore 

Prince Beryl

Princess Siafu

Special Forces

Acrobat Ant, Dracula Ant, Exploding Ant, Mafia Ant, Shining Guest Ant, Sugar Ant

Colony

Black Ants (Garden worker), Red Ants (forager worker)

Argentine Ants (Warrior), Erratic Ants (sun workers), Needle Ant (Warrior), Ghost Ant (Scout), Stink Ants (aphid and caterpillar farmer), cone ant (pest control)

Eciton Ants (Generals/Tanks), Driver Ants (Army)

Trap Jaw Ants (Trappers), Dinosaur Ants (Moon Worshippers)

Diving Ant (Swimmer), Honey Pot Ants (Food dealers), Crazy Ants (Wild cards), Amazon Ants (Raider), Carpenter Ants (Builders), Tree Ants (Warriors), Hodor Ant (Bouncer),  Giant forest ants (gladiators)

Leaf Cutter Ants (Builders), Weaver Ants (handmaidens and caretakers), Lemon Ants (mushroom growers), Pharaoh Ants (communication), Harvester Ants (harvesters), Pirate Ants (rogues), Raider Ants (raider), Electric ants (warriors), Fire Ants (Warriors), Big headed ants (Guard)

Bees

Queen Apidae

King Apo

Prince Kyle

Princess Pollen

Bee Hive

Dwarf/Asian Honey bee, Giant/European Honey Bee, Dog Bee, Sugar Bag bee (Honey makers), Carpenter bee (Builders), Bumblebee (Nectar collector),  orchid bee (Flower manager), Sweat Bee (workers), Long horned Bees (Workers), Digger Bees (nest builders), Mining Bees (Mining and Excavation)

Plasterer bee (builder), Polyester bee (cloth maker)

Carder bee (Collectors), Leafcutter bee( (Weaver), Mason bee (molder), Wallace giant Bee (blacksmith)

Pantaloon Bee (Guards)

Australian Bee (soldiers)

Daniel and Lyon (lacewing & antlion)

Xan (Snakefly)

Zip(Alderfly)

Grounder (Ground beetles)

Live wire (Telephone pole beetle)

Knock Knock (Deathwatch beetle)

Lucky (Ladybug)

Lumi-Nate (Firefly)

Adorn (Jewel beetle)

IronShell/Ira (Horned Scarab beetle)

Horns (Stag Beetle)

George Schmutz (Dung beetle)

Red Rover (Rove beetle)

Ballin (Boll weevil)

Waxer (Giraffe Weevil)

Twist (Stylops)

Twiddle (Stylops)

Harleigh (Butterfly/Moth)

Eugene (Monarch Butterfly)

Genevieve (Silk Moth)

Cassidy (Caddisfly)

Bethany (House/Horse Fly)

Pesky (Gnat/Midge) 

Zika (Mosquito)

Rome (Hover/Robber/Crane fly)

Sting (Scorpionflies)

Ichor (Fleas)

Previous/Next

(For More Information About The Earthdemons, Neo demons, The Anthro allies , the O'Kong family and more of theses characters as well as updates please visit the @the-earthdemon-hub for more)

[wooyukh]

i’m gonna cry i was going to bed and i was fixing my duvet and then when i lifted it up there was a SPIDER UNDERNEATH so i did the bravest thing i could and put a pot over it and then SOMEHOW put a paper under and now the upside down pot is on the ground and i was looking forward to being nice and comfy in my bed but NO now i’m too scared to so i’m sitting on the edge of my bed like what if there’s more spiders 😭😭 bcs there’s always so many spiders in london in august like i saw a huge one this morning in the house and my dad got rid of it like i’m not built for this i’m not australian the very thought of an insect makes me wanna cry and it was IN MY BED 😭😭😭😭 i cant sleep here now!!!!

oh my god what if it’s a girl and has a whole family in my room like imagine there’s a huge nest of spider eggs or however they reproduce in some corner under my bed ready to hatch and strike while i’m asleep and vulnerable 😭😭😭😭😭 noooo i cant do thisssss

and i can’t even ask my dad to get rid of it bc it’s 1:30am and he’s gonna yell at me for being awake omggg 😭😭😭 imagine it escapes from the pot while i’m sleeping oh no

i’ve literally found spiders in my bed before twice and like even the spider emoji freaks me out soooo maybe i shld js burn the house down and start afresh

aren’t cats supposed to kill insects or wtv why is my animal so useless he’s js like me fr

NO bc i would’ve cried 😭😭😭 i suggest washing ur sheets bc that’ll probably put ur mind at ease 😭 but hey at least u don’t get wasps in ur room! there’s a wasp in my room every 2-3 weeks and i always run downstairs and ask my aunt or uncle to kill it for me 😭

[pestfreenests]

Keeping Safe With Wasp Control Measures For Polistes Humilis In Autumn

As the warm hues of summer fade into the crispness of autumn, it’s not just the leaves that change – the behaviour of insects shifts as well. In Australia, one of the notable transitions is the heightened activity of Polistes humilis wasps. These social insects, commonly known as paper wasps, can become a nuisance around homes and gardens. However, with proper preparation and proactive Wasps Control in Geelong, Brighton and Mulgrave you can effectively control their presence and safeguard your living spaces.

Understanding Polistes Humilis

Polistes Humilis, commonly known as the Australian Paper Wasp, is a species of social wasp endemic to Australia. Identified by their slender bodies and distinctive paper-like nests, these insects thrive in urban and rural environments alike. As autumn approaches, these wasps tend to become more aggressive, seeking shelter in protected areas. Unlike solitary wasps, Polistes Humilis constructs communal nests, typically under eaves, in roof voids, or within shrubbery. Their nests, typically constructed from wood fibres and saliva, can house hundreds of individuals, posing a risk to human inhabitants due to their painful stings.

Behaviour and Threats:During autumn, Polistes Humilis colonies reach peak activity as they prepare for the colder months. These wasps can become highly aggressive when disturbed, posing a significant threat to humans and pets. Their stings, while painful, can also trigger severe allergic reactions in susceptible individuals.

Lifecycle:Understanding the lifecycle of Polistes Humilis is integral to effective control. In autumn, colonies reach their zenith, with the queen laying eggs that will develop into new workers. As temperatures drop, these colonies may become more defensive, seeking refuge indoors, thus increasing the risk of human encounters.

Implementing Preventive Measures

Before implementing control measures, it’s essential to identify potential nesting sites around your property. Inspect areas such as roof overhangs, outdoor furniture, and dense vegetation where Polistes humilis may establish their colonies. Early detection allows for timely Wasps Control in Brighton Geelong and Mulgrave, minimising the risk of infestation. Some of the important preventive measures that on can opt for are as follows:

Sealing Entry Points:Seal any gaps or cracks in the exterior of your home to prevent wasps from entering. Pay particular attention to areas around windows, doors, and utility openings.

Removing Attractants:Keep outdoor dining areas clean and free of food scraps, as these can attract foraging wasps. Additionally, secure garbage bins with tightly fitting lids to minimise access to food sources.

Trimming Vegetation:Regularly trim hedges, shrubs, and trees near your home to reduce potential nesting sites for Polistes humilis. Pruning foliage also improves visibility, making it easier to detect and address wasp activity.

Safe Nest Removal Techniques

In the event that a Polistes humilis nest is discovered on your property, it’s crucial to proceed with caution to avoid provoking the insects. Consider the following safe measures for Wasps Control in Mulgrave, Geelong and Brighton:

Night time Removal:Wasps are less active at night, making it an ideal time to remove nests. Wear protective clothing, approach the nest quietly, and use a flashlight with a red filter to minimise disturbance.

Deterrent Sprays:Several commercially available insecticide sprays are formulated specifically for wasp control. Follow the product instructions carefully and apply the spray directly to the nest for effective eradication.

Professional Assistance:If dealing with a large or inaccessible nest, consider seeking assistance from pest control professionals. They have the expertise and equipment to safely remove the nest without putting you or your family at risk.

As autumn unfolds across Australia, the presence of Polistes Humilis wasps poses a tangible threat to homeowners and outdoor enthusiasts alike. By understanding the behaviour and life cycle of these insects, along with implementing targeted Wasps Control in Geelong, Brighton and Mulgrave, individuals can effectively mitigate the risk of encounters and safeguard their surroundings. Whether through proactive nest inspections, professional assistance, or environmentally conscious strategies, mastering autumn in the face of Polistes Humilis challenges is within reach. Stay vigilant, stay informed, and ensure a pest-free season ahead. Remember, for comprehensive wasp control, always prioritise safety and consider consulting with pest management experts like Pest Free Nests for tailored solutions.

For any questions or to schedule a consultation, please contact us at Phone: 0478 244 888

[pestagon]

Pest Control Byron Bay NSW

Byron Bay is one of Australia’s most well-known coastal towns, with magnificent natural features including beaches, hinterland rainforest, spectacular coastal walks and a thriving arts and food scene. But Byron Bay is also home to many pests, and they can cause significant damage to homes and businesses. Pest control services can help you manage these pests and keep them from damaging your property.

Cockroaches, ants, spiders and rodents are common pests in the sub-tropical environment of Byron Bay. They can pose health problems by contaminating food, and they may damage your property by chewing through wires and other structures. If left uncontrolled, these pests can spread to other areas of your home and cause extensive damage.

A professional pest control Byron Bay NSW will use a range of effective strategies to eradicate these pests and protect your property.

Silverfish are insects that feed on starch and paper, and they can destroy precious books, photographs and anything else made from paper. They thrive in high humidity and will often appear in kitchen cupboards or bookshelves. A silverfish infestation can be difficult to get rid of, but a local pest control company will have the expertise to identify and treat the problem.

Bees and wasps can be a nuisance and a risk to your health, especially if you are allergic. They can cause serious harm if they come into contact with your skin, so it’s important to hire a local pest control expert to remove the bees or wasps safely. A local pest controller will also be able to handle any nests or hives in your garden.

Termites are the most destructive pests in Australia, but you can prevent them by protecting your property from moisture and having regular inspections. A specialist Byron Bay pest control service will inspect your property for signs of termites and recommend treatment options to stop them from destroying your home.

The team at BPI Far North Coast Building & Pest Inspections in Byron Bay are born and bred locals who know the area. They’re the best placed to perform a pre-purchase pest and building inspection on your prospective new home or business.

Pest-A-Gon is 100% Australian owned and operated. Over 35 years of industry experience. Proudly servicing all suburbs in and around the Far North Coast and Northern Rivers area.

[ljsbugblog]

there are many nests of P. humilis around the house, but this is my first time seeing one drink from the pond.

Australian Paper Wasp (Polistes humilis).

[drhoz]

#2040 - Fam. Aulacidae

Photo by Patrick Wake

It appears that the last time anybody looked at the Aulacid diversity in Western Australia (back in 2004), there were 6 species, and all of them were new to science. And that was the first taxonomic study of Australian Aulacids in 50 years.

It's not a particuarly big family - a 2001 paper catalogued 48 species of Aulacus, and 106 species of Pristaulacus (both genera widely spread, worldwide), and two species of Panaulix is confined to sub-Saharan Africa. They parasitise wood-bring beetles in the Cerambycid and Buprestid families, and woodboring wasps in the Xiphydriidae, but all the ones from Australia that we know anything about target the beetles.

[caracalliope]

@letmefixthatforyou to my great chagrin/delight, Justin has got a sizzling hot take on Australian bull ants.

Truth, like beauty, can be in the eye of the beholder. Pain truth comes in two flavors, imagined and realized. With stings, our imagination is vivid and strong, even if the sting pain is not realized. The paper wasp, Polistes instabilis, provides a real-life example.

insert a description of paper wasps vs. the honor and reputation of biologists, and then out of nowhere...

The Australian bull ants, sometimes called bulldog ants, are inch-long, lithe creatures with enormous eyes, long mandibles, and lightning speed. And they jump. Their uncanny behavior of turning their heads to follow observers adds to their mystique. In Australia, they are highly respected, if not outright feared, for their fabled stinging ability. Among all of Australia’s native insects, bull ants head the list of painful stingers. This is partly because Australia has no native honey bees, no hornets, no yellowjacket wasps, and their social wasps are mostly in the generally placid genus Ropalidia, a group similar to many Polistes paper wasps in Europe and the Americas, though generally milder in disposition. Hence, Australians lack comparisons between their bull ants and other painful stinging insects around the world. Given the background of stories about bull ants, I approached collecting them with some anxiety and caution. However, I didn’t know about their athletic abilities, something mentioned but frequently glossed over by writers of articles on these ants. As I collected some individuals from a nest, an alarm was sent and a boiling mass of ants issued from the colony. My athleticism didn’t match theirs, and the feared stings were realized. I was stunned, not by the pain, but by the low level of pain. The balloon of anticipation had been deflated. Why did the stings not hurt so much? The pain was less than the sting of a honey bee. Flare and swelling were also minimal, and the pain was short-lived. Had I been stung too many times and simply could no longer detect pain?

Justin came to Australia to have a good time, and he is feeling insufficiently attacked right now :(

HOWEVER, there is the bullet ant in Central+South America, which gets a whole chapter dedicated to how beautiful and special and powerful its sting is:.

Paraponera knows no fakery, it’s the real thing. Paraponera is the insect star in stories worthy of telling to one’s grandchildren and in the 2015 movie Ant-Man. If stung, you might not think you will live to see grandchildren, but, rest assured, no one has ever died from bullet ant stings. [...] I am often asked how I know bullet ants are the most painful of any stinging insect. Of course, this can never be answered with 100 percent certainty, as thousands of stinging insects have been described, with more awaiting discovery. Neither I, nor anyone else, have been stung by all of them. I have searched six continents (skipping Antarctica) over 40 years for stinging insects and never found any whose stings come even close to the pain level and duration of bullet ant stings. This is not from lack of specific search.

Let's start 2024 with a sting

Someone asked me for the complete Justin O. Schmidt sting index! Like a fool, I responded to their message and didn't save their username. So! Dear stranger, I hope you see this!

Screenshots are from The Sting of the Wild, a good book that everyone should read if they like bugs and/or descriptive science.

PAIN SCALE FOR STINGING INSECTS Note: CA = Central America; NA = North America; SA = South America.

[onenicebugperday]

@jjongs-tae-and-biscuits​ submitted: My friend sent me this for ID help bc they've seen a number of these around their house, but I've never seen them. We're in QLD, Australia. If anyone has good wasp/hornet ID sites they'd recommend, please let me know!! I'm sorry to be posting a photo of one no longer alive ;;

It’s an Australian paper wasp, Polistes humilis. I highly recommend the iNaturalist website (not the app, although that’s helpful sometimes if you’re taking photos of wasps to ID). Here’s a link to hymenopterans in Queensland, but obviously you can change your search to certain types of wasps or change the location!

[buginateacup]

I barely hit post on the last fic when a new idea came in

----------

The disguise watch was going to be fantastic. Miss Ritchi would never see it coming. He would lure her under the pretence of being one of her coworkers out into the crowded street, reveal himself in a flash of pyrotechnics and smoke bombs, and they would be away in the invisible car before she had the chance to call him an inconsiderate ass for interrupting her workday again.

If she was willing to leave the office for coffee, she should be prepared to suffer the possibility of being kidnapped. She was never gone more than an hour or two anyway. Honestly he didn't see what the problem was.

In the guise of Roxanne's friend and coworker Yumi Nakata, Megamind leaned on the side of the lovely, delightful, charming, witty Roxanne Miss Ritchi's cubicle and cleared his throat, preparing to make the offer of coffee. He'd spend twelve hours watching Yumi's weather reports to make sure he could correctly imitate her cadence and voice. Yumi's tinted shades sat on his nose, disguising the bright green of his eyes

It turns out he needn't have bothered. Roxanne looked up and flashed a smile that stopped him in his tracks. "Nearly done," she sang brightly, typing rapidly without looking at her screen, "Coffee time?"

Megamind nodded dumbly, still blinking away the aftereffects of her smile. Roxanne typed for a moment longer then hit save and shut her laptop triumphantly, grabbing her purse, "Let's go, I'm craving scones."

"Oh I could get those for you Roxaroo," Megamind jumped, he hand't noticed Hal Schtewart sneaking up behind them. Roxanne paused and looked flatly at him, "We're good thanks Hal"

"No seriously, no trouble!"

“Honestly, we’re fine.”

Megamind subtly knocked the 700ml energy drink in the cameraman's hand all over him, "Oh look at that," he cried in a passable attempt at Yumi's soft voice, "You better clean that up before the wasps in the courtyard are attracted by the smell. Their stings are quite painful you know"

Roxanne was fighting back a giggle as Schtewart rushed away yelping that he could feel them coming for him already.

"Yumi, I love you" Roxanne said seriously. She looped her arm through Megamind's and started tugging him downstairs and towards the little hole in the wall coffeeshop around the corner.

Oh. Oops. He thought she would go for the coffee cart that parked out front. That was where Minion was waiting. Hmm. Maybe they were getting takeaway? He could work with that. They would just start the show when they were nearly back to the office.

Roxanne chattered about nothing, sparing a moment to thank Megamind-as-Yumi again for his deft handling of Hal as they walked arm in arm to the tiny cafe. They waved at the barista who nodded and greeted them cheerfully, 

"Morning ladies," he called in a broad Australian accent, "The usual?" Roxanne pushed Megamind into what was clearly a regular booth and headed to the counter, "And scones please Nico"

Megamind fiddled uncertainly with the napkin holder. This hadn't been part of the plan. He didn't know enough of their friendship to fake a conversation. He'd have to let Roxanne lead. Hopefully Yumi wasn't much of a chatterbox.

Roxanne returned with two mugs, pushing a lethal black looking potion in front of Megamind "Be right back, prepare for bitching."

The actual Yumi, stuffed into the top drawer of her work desk, might have appreciated a reprieve from the weekly Roxanne whines about her lack of love life session. But she was also currently a cube so she didn't much in the way of an opinion on the matter. 

 Megamind sipped cautiously at the cup, hid a grimace and dumped eight packets of sugar into the bitter concoction when Roxanne headed back to collect their scones.

"You okay?" Roxanne asked when she returned with a split scone lathered in jam and cream, "You've been quiet,"

Megamind coughed on a sip of coffee, "Just ah..." he gestured at his throat, "Got a tickle, I'm being careful."

That seemed to set her mind at ease, Roxanne relaxed and sipped her coffee. "So I feel like this week will be a giant robot kind of week" she said conspiratorially.

"You think?" Megamind squeaked.

"Maybe," Roxanne shrugged, "I just have that feeling. There's always at least one big one every thee months, I think this will be it."

"Okay" Megamind nodded awkwardly, steam from the coffee fogging Yumi’s glasses. The Centipedinator wasn't really a giant robot so much as a collection of medium to large robots working in tandem. But it was concerning that Miss Ritchi had apparently figured out that he had a pattern he wasn't aware of himself.

Roxanne dumped two sugars into her coffee and stirred viciously before taking a large gulp "I swear to god if I don't get caffeine before that blue alien genius picks me up again..." she trailed off threateningly.

"You forgot incredibly handsome" Megamind said before he could stop himself. Fuck oops, he was really bad at this disguise thing. What help was a mask when you were still the same idiot underneath?

Instead of staring or laughing Roxanne put her hand in her face and groaned, "I know" she cried tragically, "God I'm pathetic."

She is anything but that, apparently Megamind’s expression on Yumi's face was enough to get the message across because Roxanne laughed.

"Will you be scared?" he asked hopefully, maybe he can consider this unexpected coffee session reconnaissance, find out what might actually make her scream.

"Scared of telling him I want to pin him to the control desk and peel him out of all that leather with my teeth maybe" Roxanne sighed.

Megamind spluttered coffee all over the table. What?

Roxanne grinned, handing him a pile of paper napkins "Sorry I shouldn't tease"

Teasing. Right. She was teasing. Evil Gods he is really bad at this disguise thing.

[furmity]

[source]

Polistes humilis- Australian paper wasp (also introduced to north Aotearoa)

These lovelies have set up on my laundry window frame. Oh how I wish, I wish, I had kept a journal of their family! In the spring, the first Queen was seen with the beginnings of the nest, just a few cells made from chewed up wood and saliva:

[source]

Those cells have grown into a mass of comb that’s nearly as large as my two fists. Still with that one spindly anchor, it’s amazingly strong! There’s at least thirty wasps now, and more babies in the cells. You can’t recognise a Queen from the others, in this species the hierarchies are observed by behaviour. Fertile females will be the ones receiving resources at the nest from the foraging workers, and apparently there’s a tail wagging displayed by dominant females.

Paper wasps are not competitive social climbers, but a Queen wants to remain so. There may be two Queens in a nest, but as it grows more females will start to lay eggs- and the Queens may eat the eggs of the workers! This species is notable among wasps for not having inbreeding within their colonies.

I adore their little yellow faces. The nest is above the bins, and every time we go out there all the little faces will stare you down, antennae raised, so accusingly. As a group, we housepeople have presented them with a little meat and jam to try and be friends. Now that they’re established, they may remain for years in this nest or return at some future date!

They will only sting to protect the nest, and have allowed us to get very close without being too upset. Interestingly both serotonin and dopamine are in the venom, among other things... and supposed to be what makes it painful?!

setting everyone the assigned homework of learning about a native hymenoptera (bee, wasp, ant) pollinator that’s local to you. tell me about them. so many cool pollinators get drowned out by honeybee visibility.

[whitepassingpocs]

I know your thoughts on the "white passing = white" sentiment on social media. However, I have also seen people (some white and some non MENA poc) saying that Middle Easterners and North Africans are also white and want to know what you think. It makes me bitter - especially since not all of us look white and face racism. Those of us who look white also have similar features as our visible siblings (though lighter skin). idk what to feel or do

(cont) I know I am otherized overall even with my appearance. But many MENA people are ethnically ambiguous and we never had one set look - even within our own families. I get a lot of passing privilege but have been told by white and non-white people in the past that I look like a poc as well. I hate the space this puts us in.

I hate the term "white passing" because it makes it seem like we are trying to pass as a different race than we are. The term specifically comes from "passing for white" in the African American context, which is really specific. I prefer saying that I am a "white perceived" poc or a poc "perceived as white". I know that is not everyone's opinion but I think it helps frame both the fact that I am involved in my culture and that I know that I benefit from colorism in my community bc of my yt looks

(cont) Even people I go to school with are following accounts who actively insist that MENA people are white. One account actually used outdated racial science and miscontextualized history to make her point and yt people just eat that up (WHILE STILL OTHERING US IN REAL LIFE). I am so tired of people telling me how we should identify our own oppression. We may not have the same race experience as Black or Indigenous people BUT we still face racism and race based trauma :/

I am sorry for typing so much. I just don't see erasing an entire group of racialized people as woke. :/

hello! there’s a lot to unpack here so i will do my best!

first of all i am Arab-Australian, so I do very much understand your frustration. the racial status of Arabs in Western countries is contentious and inconsistant and its designed that way deliberately to uphold white supremacy.

Many Arabs were forced to identify as white in the West to gain asylum in places such as North America and Australia. However, while we were white on paper, we are not treated as white, especially in a post 9/11 landscape. but legally and historically Arabs were classified as white in order to enter the USA. here in Australia, many Arabs claimed whiteness by saying they were christian in order to be accepted as part of the White Australia policy.

Racial identity is very complex. you need to remember that there are different racial contexts outside the usa and while the term “white passing” may have originated in the AA community in the USA, here in Australia the term WASP passing was also used. terms like “white passing” have also been used in Asian communities for decades. use whatever term you’re comfortable with, but u should maybe ask yourself why you have an issue with the term specifically being associated with Black Americans. 

Please, block those accounts/ppl gaslighting MENA peoples in regards to racism. its incorrect and a quick google would tell these people that. you aren’t responsible for their ignorance. direct your energy to supporting the MENA diaspora activists currently working to change the census status of MENA people to better reflect the communities�� experiences with racism. 

redirect your bitter energy into supporting people working to change what is angering you. also follow people who don’t racially gaslight and erase multiple ethnic cultural and historical communities. follow mena activists, influencers, etc. 

“white passing” is not identifying with your oppressor. its simply acknowledging you have a degree of privlege, due to systemic oppression. also it would serve you well to actually research race histories outside of the usa because it may help you understand how contextual labels are. 

hope this helps! x