We are Just Good Friends...

Dont believe them - there was a little more than 'friendship' going on in the flax today.

Several Chinese Paper Wasps  flying around the variagated flax caught my eye as I was returning from a thwarted butterfly chase around the garden. Camera was in hand so I crept closer.  Right before me, a pair landed and got very intimate which gave me time to get this shot.

I had to have several attempts as the flax leaf they chose as their boudoir was quite tall and I had to balance on tip-toes to take it. Luckily, one pic was sharp.

The big question  in my mind is that it is autumn, not spring so why is mating going on so late in the season. Has our run of lovely weather confused them?