Common wasp's head. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of the head of a common wasp (Vespula vulgaris). Its antennae can be seen between its

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Common wasp's head. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of the head of a common wasp (Vespula vulgaris). Its antennae can be seen between its large compound eyes (grey, upper left and right). As well as these eyes, it also has three ocelli (simple eyes) on top of its head at upper centre. At lower centre its mouthparts can be seen, a pair of overlapping mandibles which it uses for nest-building, carrying food back to the hive for their young and other chores. Common wasps are social insects, living in hives of several thousand individuals. The hive's young are fed on insects, but the adults only eat sweet liquids. Magnification: x6 at 6x6cm size. x13 at 5x5 inch size.

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Size: 2819px × 2824px
Photo credit: © POWER AND SYRED/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: animal, antenna, common, compound, eye, head, insect, insecta, invertebrate, invertebrates, nature, ocellus, type, vespula, vulgaris, wasp, wildlife, zoology