Did You Know That Wasps Have a Purpose?
WouterDespite their furry faces and stingers, wereps have an important role to play in the environment. They are natural pollinators, pest controllers and decomposers. However, their impact is often overshadowed by their reputation for stinging humans.
The good news is that wasps are surprisingly good for us. They prey on harmful insects, including mosquitoes and bees, and they have been shown to be better at controlling pests than many other predators. They also are important in the food chain, and help reduce waste in their ecosystem.
Wasps are also important for ecosystem balance. For example, when a wasp nest is disturbed, the nest secretes a pheromone that attracts other wasps. The social wasps in particular build hanging nests in trees and cavities. They also capture greenfly, caterpillars and other pests. These insects are also an important food source for other beneficial insects.
Some wasps are also capable of pollinating flowers. While this activity is difficult to replicate, wasps do pollinate flowers. Wasps also clean up rotting fruit and flesh, which is a surprisingly nutritious snack.
Another interesting fact about wasps is their ability to kill. When a wasp stings, it can release a chemical called mastoparan. This compound has cancer cell killing properties, and is found in social wasps’ venom. In contrast, bees do not use mastoparan. However, wasps can kill several times, whereas bees only kill one insect at a time.
Wasps have a number of useful functions, and hold promise as environmental monitoring tools. They help clean up waste, and are capable of producing a useful liquid called mastoparan.
