“Victoria”
the mud dauber wasp
Scientific
name: Chlorion aerarium
Geographic location: Omaha, NE. USA
Artist: Jessa Huebing-Reitinger
Medium: Oil on canvas 24” x 48” 2004
Performing venue: The Henry Doorly Omaha Zoo, Omaha, NE. USA
The
specimen for this painting was collected and donated to the
artist by an 11 year old boy, Tanner Aherns of Omaha, Nebraska
in August of 2004. The term “threadwaisted” is
used to define the stem-like connection between her thorax
and abdomen. She is a common blue mud dauber wasp with modified
front legs that are used for digging. Mud daubers build nests
that are either constructed with mud on rocks, trees, or buildings,
or they nest in holes in the ground. This particular species
occupy the old nests of the common black and yellow mud dauber
wasp and provision the nests with crickets for larval food.
The painting of “Victoria” took 4 weeks to complete
and went through a number of proportion and position adjustments,
many of which can be seen if you look at the painting closely.
This is the smallest oil on canvas in the collection to date.
