Annals of the Other WorldFrom The Catalogue of Improbable Insects:
Rust Wasps (hymenoptera ferrum)
Rust wasps are an indigenous species of wasp native to isolated areas of the Continent, and wide bands of the Americas (colonies also seem to be gaining a foothold in Kolkata). Characterized by a small size and a matte black body, rust wasps make habitats by tearing off and re-cementing extant oxidized iron from the local environment into nests, typically hung from a large concrete structure. Rust wasps are vicious defenders of their territory. Deaths have been reported in the field.
The typical rust wasp nest is cone-shaped construct, usually about 200 cm in height. Of particular interest are the traceries that the wasps build out from the sides of the nest. These structures serve no known practical purpose.
In recent years, there has been a small but steady market for rust wasp nests amongst the more avant-garde in sculpture collecting circles. This has given rise to a small group of dedicated specialists who harvest nests from the wild. This is dangerous work, usually executed alone, at not inconsiderable expense, and often with great peril. Techniques are closely guarded, and it is sadly too often that those to attempt the trade only succeed once.
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