Can Wasps Be Small?
WouterTypically, you’ll find wasps in colonies of hundreds of workers. The queen wasp lays eggs in a small comb. The wasp larvae help the queen rear more young. The wasps eventually mature to adult size, which is not large enough to fly. They have an exoskeleton, six legs, a mouthpart with chewing teeth, antennae, and stingers.
Most wasps are about the size of a thumbnail, but there are some larger wasps. These include cicada killers, which are about 1 to 1 1/2 inches long. There are also tarantula hawks, which are about 1 to 1 3/4 inches long. These wasps are characterized by orange wings. These wasps prey on tarantulas. They can sting multiple times and can cause anaphylaxis.
These wasps build nests in the ground or in buildings. The colonies can number up to ten thousand insects. During summer, they’re active. In the winter, they overwinter in the nest. In the spring, the queen wasp emerges to start building the nest. These nests are often football-size. The queen wasp has a pheromone that sends the other colony members into a defensive frenzy.
There are several species of wasps that are pests. The Asian giant murder hornet has been known to overrun bee colonies. They’re also a major problem for homeowners. They’re very aggressive and can sting. They’ve even been known to attack their own species.
There are also mud daubers, which are very small. They build nests out of mud. These wasps are about 3/4 inches long. They’re sometimes called dirt daubers.
