Barry was kept busy photographing a number of insects species on this white aster in the backyard garden, including this paper wasp. This is a European species that is quite common. Although they can sting, they seem to resist all efforts to make them sting. They are very passive and you'd need to get them really upset to get them to sting (unlike yellowjackets who are a bit more proactive). These wasps are, like many wasps, pollinators.