Do Wasps Help Anything?

Despite the fact that wasps are considered a pest, they actually play an important role in ecosystems. They serve as natural pest control and help regulate insect pest populations.

In the UK, there are over 7,000 species of wasps. Most of these species are social. Unlike bees, they don’t tend to bother humans.

In order to survive, wasps require a lot of water and sugar. The sugar comes from flowers’ nectar and honeydew. They also have a high metabolic rate. This allows them to gather pollen and disperse seeds. They are also known to feed on fruits and honey.

They also produce powerful antibiotics in their venom. Although a wasp sting is usually mild, there is a chance that it can cause anaphylactic shock. If you are bitten by a wasp, wash the affected area with soap and water and go indoors as quickly as possible. It is also important to maintain your sting area as dry as possible to prevent infection.

Wasps are also known to prey on other pests. They may not be as efficient as bees in pollinating plants, but they are still valuable in helping to control pests. In the West Indies, colonists found that their crops were less likely to be infested with pests when they encouraged the growth of wasp populations.

Scientists are hoping to learn more about the role of wasps. They are interested in learning how to prevent people from swatting wasps.