1986 Common Wasp Paravespula Vulgaris Print - Durin Bernard Les Insectes Scientific Illustration - Linnaeus Entomology - 11 x 13 in

This is a gorgeous high quality vintage print with vivid colours taken from a disbound copy of Les Insectes by Bernard Durin. The dimensions are 11 x 13 inches. Visit https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/ForestHillArtsHouse?section_id=53836226 for more Insects prints. The common wasp (Paravespula vulgaris) builds its nest underground. It is difficult to distinguish from other wasps, such as the German wasp (Paravespula germanica), which also builds an underground nest, and the Saxon wasp (Paravespula saxonica), whose nest is often found in attics and barns. The intermediate wasp (Paravespula media) nests in hedges and shrubs. All of them possess a venomous stinger and belong to the order Hymenoptera. Like all wasps, they are attracted to sugary foods and become truly bothersome at the end of summer and in autumn. However, unlike the bees we know, commonly referred to as wasps, they do not store sweet provisions in their nests. There are three castes among these wasps: the queen and her daughters, the males, and the workers, which are known for their aggressive buzzing. At the end of autumn, the old queen dies with her people. The fertilized females (by the males) hibernate, and each one will found a new colony in the spring. The workers, born from fertilized eggs, appear at the end of spring; unfertilized eggs produce males. The nest is made of paper pulp. To create it, the workers scrape decomposing wood, chew it with their saliva, and produce a paste that, once dry, has a texture similar to stiff cardboard. They then build the nest in horizontal combs, wrapped in layers of paper. Throughout the summer, the nest expands. New combs are added, and the outer covering also grows. A colony can contain 5,000 individuals or more. The larvae are fed with chewed insects reduced to mush. The wasp's waist is proverbial. The narrowness of the petiole (the “wasp waist”) that links the thorax to the abdomen is even more accentuated than in ants. **Background** The artist Bernard Durin was an artist and illustrator transforming the tiniest creatures into works of art. Born in France in 1940, "Beetles and Other Insects," was published in 1980. It is considered a masterpiece. Durin has captured the intricate patterns, textures, and colours of his subjects with stunning accuracy. He made around 60 portraits of insects, using rare and fascinating specimens entrusted to him by the entomologists of the Museum of Natural History in Paris. Durin’s work combines scientific precision with artistic beauty. This has made them valuable to entomologists and other scientists. Bernard Durin passed away in 1988. His illustrations continue to be admired for their beauty and precision, and they remain a valuable resource for anyone interested in the natural world. **About Your Purchase:** - Your purchase is this ORIGINAL vintage print. No modern reprints, reproductions, or copies. - Please note: This print is sold unmounted. **Condition:** Good. Consistent with age. The reverse has text in German. There is no show-through. **Returns & Shipping** - **Returns:** No-questions-asked within 14 days provided in the same condition as dispatched; buyer pays return shipping. - **Packaging:** All prints are securely packaged in a clear bag with a board-backed envelope, further reinforced with recycled cardboard. - Dispatched via Royal Mail Tracked 24/48 (and Royal Mail Tracked International) with: - UK delivery within 1-3 days - US/EU delivery within 5-12 days - Rest-of-world delivery within 7-21 days