How Big Do Wasps Grow?
WouterCompared to bees, wasps are small. They also have less hair on their bodies. The smallest wasps, which are solitary parasitoid wasps, are found in the family Mymaridae.
There are hundreds of thousands of species of wasps. They have been around for millions of years. They have spread to most regions of the world. They are also considered pests in some parts. In the United Kingdom, they are responsible for capturing fourteen million kilograms of insect prey each summer.
In the spring, the queen wasp builds a nest. The nest grows as the colony grows. The nest is a spherical shape about five centimeters in diameter. The nest contains thousands of eggs.
The nest is covered with silk. It contains several workers. The workers hunt for insects, and feed the larvae. They also collect nectar from flowers in the spring.
The larvae regurgitate insect exoskeletons. The larvae then develop into fertile males and females. The females lay dozens or thousands of eggs. They become the next generation of queens. The queens then die. The old queen dies in the autumn, and the colony ends its life cycle.
The queen wasp has a triangle-shaped head. The mandibles at the front of the head are used for biting other wasps, and for catching and dissecting prey. These mouthparts are similar to the mouthparts of honey bees.
The larvae are a small, fat white worm. They are covered in silk to protect them from predators. The larvae have six small jointed legs. They regurgitate insect food. The food is rich in protein, which accelerates the speed at which the larvae grow.
