You might associate wasps with the tiny little blighters that pester you when trying to eat picnics, but these sting-laden insects are in fact very intriguing.
We’ve rounded up some interesting facts about wasps that will make you look at them in a different light. Here are some of our favourites:
Most wasps are capable of stinging numerous times
Unlike many bee species, most wasps are capable of stinging numerous times because their stinger is not barbed. A wasp or swarm of wasps that feels threatened will sting continuously until they feel safe again. The honeybee has a barbed stinger that stays in the skin, and when it does so, it releases venom into the victim.
But most wasps have smooth stingers that slide out of the skin easily, allowing them to sting repeatedly. They can sting you multiple times because they don’t leave their stinger behind after each attack.
In fact, many people are allergic to wasp venom and can suffer life-threatening reactions if they’re stung more than once.
Some species of wasp are known to strip the bark from trees
Some species of wasp are known to strip the bark from trees. This can cause great damage to different types of trees, bushes and shrubs. The material collected for nesting is chewed, shredded and mixed with saliva and wax to make a paste material which is then used to construct the nest.
Some other species of wasp are known to strip the bark from trees, and they do it in an unusual way. The female wasp, which is larger than the male, uses her ovipositor (egg-laying organ) to cut into the tree and lay an egg directly into a tree’s wood.
After she lays her eggs, she cuts another hole in the same tree and lays more eggs. Then she goes on to attack another tree.
The eggs hatch, and after about a week or two, the larvae emerge and begin eating their way through the tree’s trunk or branches. They continue to eat until they reach maturity.
Wasps are carnivores
Wasps are carnivores and they feed on flies, caterpillars, spiders and bugs. Wasps chew their prey and feed the paste to their larvae.. However, some species are omnivorous or even herbivorous.
Insects make up the bulk of their diet, but they will also eat spiders, caterpillars and other arthropods. Some species of social wasp will hunt for food together in groups, making them more effective hunters than solitary wasps.
Some species of parasitic wasp can be very dangerous to humans because they lay their eggs in living animals or humans.
Both the queens and the workers are females
Both the queens and the workers are females and develop from fertilised eggs. The males do very little except fertilise eggs. If the nest becomes threatened, they will defend it, but otherwise, they contribute very little to the colony. The male wasp is called a drone and its only job is to mate with a queen so that she can give birth to everyone in the colony. Once a male has done this (or failed in the attempt) it will die soon after.
Workers are smaller than queens and have less developed ovaries. They do not mate, so they cannot produce their own offspring. Workers help raise other young wasps and tend to the colony’s needs.
Queens have larger ovaries than workers, which allows them to produce more eggs. They also have wings and can fly away from the colony if it is threatened by predators or danger.
The queen wasp has wings while her daughters do not. It’s important to know that there is only one queen per colony; she is larger than the rest of her offspring because she has more developed ovaries and therefore produces more eggs than any other member of her species.
Wasp workers only live for 12 to 22 days
Wasp workers (infertile wasps) only live for 12 to 22 days, which is longer than drones (fertile males). Queens, however, have an average lifespan of a year. At the end of their short lives, they are completely worn out and will die.
Wasp workers do not reproduce. They work hard at being sterile so that they can serve their queen and give up their own lives in the process.
The social structure of a wasp nest is very complex, with many different kinds of roles in the nest. The queen lays all the eggs in the colony and is responsible for caring for her young as well as feeding them with royal jelly.
Worker wasps are responsible for building new nests or repairing old ones, maintaining the temperature inside the nest (by fanning with their wings), collecting food for themselves and the young, caring for the larvae, guarding against predators and enemies, keeping unwanted insects away from the hive or nest entrance, cleaning up after meals, and taking care of queen larvae until they become adults.
The venom of the wasp contains a pheromone that causes fellow members of the colony to become more aggressive and attack
We live in a world of wasps. The insects are everywhere: They’re the scourge of picnics and barbecues, their nests under the eaves of houses, and their nests hanging from trees.
The venom of the wasp contains a pheromone that causes fellow members of the colony to become more aggressive and attack. The venom also contains a substance that stimulates the release of stress hormones into your body. This is why you should try and avoid swatting a wasp that is near its nest or other wasps. Even when the sting is not left behind, the venom can cause significant pain and irritation.
Though wasp stings hurt, symptoms normally improve after a few hours
Though wasp stings hurt, symptoms normally improve after a few hours but you may still feel irritation and swelling for a few days. However, a growing number of people are allergic to wasp venom and can die from anaphylactic shock. If you have received multiple stings, stung in the eye or you suffer symptoms of infection (fever, pain, puss) you should seek medical advice.
Most reactions are mild and short-lived. If you know you’re allergic to wasp stings and have been stung before, it’s important to be aware of the symptoms of anaphylaxis.
Wasp stings hurt because they inject venom into your skin. The pain can last for up to 12 hours, although most people feel better after just a few hours. If your immune system is sensitive to wasp venom, you may develop swelling and redness around the site of the sting.
Wasp Sting Remedies
While most people think of wasps as nothing more than a pest, they can be dangerous and even deadly if you are allergic to their venom.
The first thing to do is to remove the stinger from your skin, because it can continue to inject venom into your body even after the wasp has flown away.
Once you have removed the stinger, wash the area with soap and water. If the swelling or redness persists or gets worse, seek medical attention immediately.
If you are not allergic to wasp stings and do not have an open cut on your skin in which a stinger could become lodged, then there is no reason to treat a wasp sting with anything other than soap and water. There are other remedies that can help though, such as honey, toothpaste or vinegar.
Wasps Live In Colonies
Like ants and termites, wasps live in colonies that follow a rigid caste order of queens, males and females. The queen wasp lays her eggs in cells of a comb and the larvae develop into new queens and workers. Wasps are social insects, which means they live together in groups, sharing resources and helping each other out.
The workers are females who do all the work of taking care of the nest, feeding the young and protecting their home against predators.
The males have no stinger and do not help with taking care of the colony. They have only one purpose: to find a mate and reproduce (lay eggs). Wasps are like bees in that they have two sets of wings: forewings (which look like long tubes) and hind wings (which look like folded fans).
A wasp colony produces queens and males in the summer
A wasp colony produces queens and males in the summer. At the same time, all the queens and males will fly into the sky to mate. The vast majority of males will fail to find a mate but the one that does will heir a future colony when the fertilised queen starts to build a new one.
The males leave, but the queen remains to spend the winter underground. In the spring, she will emerge and lay eggs that become workers. These workers take over the duties of feeding and caring for the next generation of offspring.
A wasp nest is composed of hexagonal cells made from paper pulp that’s chewed by worker wasps, who then spit it out onto a small piece of wood or other material. The cells are used as living quarters and nursery chambers for raising young. Wasps build their nests above ground, usually under eaves or shingles.
The life span of a queen depends on how long it takes her to find a good place to nest. This can take several weeks or months, depending on where she chooses to live and whether or not she has competition from other insects looking for homes too.
A colony will have just one queen at any given time, but it will have many workers who help raise the young and defend against predators while they’re still in their larval stage (when they look like white grubs).
Eliminate your wasp nest problems by calling us today.
We at Eliminate Solutions know that pests can be a nightmare in and around your home and can even be potentially harmful to you and your family. If you own a business, an infestation could be a disaster for your company. Thankfully, you can trust Eliminate Ltd to help with your bee, hornet and wasp nest removal anytime you need us. We also have huge expertise in bedbugs, birds, cockroaches, falconry, squirrels and moles.
We’re proud to say that we are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Severe infestations can be damaging to businesses and can have a knock-on effect not only on your walk-in customers – but on nearby businesses as well. Get in touch with the Edinburgh pest control services team at Eliminate today.
Conclusion
Some interesting facts about wasps:
- Wasps are related to bees and ants. They are all in the order Hymenoptera.
- There are over 10,000 species of wasps. They can be found all over the world, except for Antarctica.
- Wasps are predators. They eat a variety of insects, including caterpillars, flies, and mosquitoes.
- Wasps are also pollinators. They help to pollinate a variety of plants, including fruits, vegetables, and flowers.
- Wasps are social insects. They live in colonies, which can range in size from a few dozen to several thousand individuals.
- The queen wasp is the only wasp that can lay eggs. The other wasps in the colony are workers, who help to build the nest, care for the young, and gather food.
- Wasps can sting. Their stings are painful, but they are not usually fatal.
- Wasps are beneficial insects. They help to control populations of pests, and they also pollinate plants.
Here are some additional interesting facts about wasps:
- Wasps can make their own paper. They chew wood into a pulp and then use their saliva to bind the pulp together.
- Wasp nests can be very large. Some nests can be up to 3 feet in diameter and contain thousands of wasps.
- Wasps are very intelligent insects. They can learn to recognise individual humans and other animals.
- Wasps play an important role in the ecosystem. They help to control populations of pests and they also pollinate plants.
Despite their reputation as pests, wasps are actually beneficial insects. They play an important role in the ecosystem by controlling populations of pests and pollinating plants. So next time you see a wasp, don’t be afraid – just admire its hard work and important role in the world.
Are you looking for Wasp Removal in Chester? Contact us at 0800 206 2679 or email us here.
