The Wasp Nest That Hung Between the Branches

On Tuesday, March 17th, while making his way through a stretch of dense forest growth within the reserve, José Marín stopped before something that was impossible to walk past: a wasp nest hanging from a branch, built from mud, oval in shape, with that beige-yellow coloring that made it look almost like a strange fruit suspended among the dark green of the canopy. The nest, a considerable size, bore the marks of its builders' quiet labor: layers of mud shaped with precision, clinging to the branch as though they had always belonged there. José took his photographs and filed the report. In the reserve, structures like this one are a sign that the forest is doing what it should: wasps pollinate, keep insect populations in check, and hold their place in the chain without asking anyone's permission. The coordinates have been recorded. The nest is still there, between the branches, going about its business.