Home is a hole in the wall

I found this little ruby-tail wasp exploring a crevice in a south-facing house wall near Durham yesterday.

First in had a look inside to check that there was nothing menacing lurking ....

......... then it turned around and reversed in...

........ surveying passers-by .....

..... and occasionally coming out into the sunshine .....

.... to soak up some warmth and display its wonderfully iridescent colours, like a living Faberge jewel 

For more on the intriguing habits of ruby-tail wasps, click here