How Do Wasps Help Bees?
WouterDespite their appearance, wasps are actually predators that feed on insects. Some people are allergic to wasp stings. These stings are painful and can result in swelling. If you are allergic, it is important that you keep trash containers and buildings closed or plug holes in walls or windows.
Wasps are a group of social insects. Their colonies consist of a queen, workers and larvae. The queen lays eggs in her nest, which is made of weathered wood. These nests are usually found in outdoor locations such as buildings, trees, and flower beds.
Wasps are important pollinators. They feed on nectar, honey, and protein. They help control pests that damage crops. They also help protect the health of the ecosystem by eating sick and dying animals.
In the UK, social wasps feed on 14 million kilograms of insect prey. They are a key component of the natural ecosystem. They regulate insect pests and help limit the size of arthropod populations.
Wasps are also beneficial predators. They eat pest insects that carry human diseases, and they help protect crops. Some wasps are parasitic. They eat the larvae of pest insects and lay their own parasitic eggs on the eggs of beneficial insects.
One of the most common wasp species, the German wasp, kills bee larvae for protein. Other species feed on nectar or fruit, but they do not pollinate. Some wasps, like the bald-faced hornet, only eat nectar.
The venom of social wasps contains a compound called mastoparan. The compound has cancer-cell-killing properties. It preferentially targets cancerous cells.
