How Many Wasps Are There in the World?
WouterDuring the summer, wasps are a common species that visit homes and gardens. Although most wasps are not primary pollinators, they are useful in controlling pest insects. There are approximately 10,000 native species of wasps in North America. They are classified into 12 and a half genera.
The most common social wasps found in the north temperate regions are the hornet and yellow-jacket wasps. These wasps are aggressive around food sources and sting in response to being grabbed.
The Asian giant hornet is the largest known hornet in the world. Its queen can be as large as four centimeters in length. These wasps are aggressive around food and nesting sites.
Parasitic wasps are a group of insects that feed on other arthropods, such as spiders. They are parasites, meaning that they lay eggs inside their host and feed on it from inside. These wasps are very beneficial in crop agriculture as pest controllers. They are estimated to have over one million species around the world.
A wasp colony starts when a queen lays her eggs in a starter nest. She will then fertilize them with her stored sperm. The queen will lay new eggs every spring and summer, and each year the colony will die off in the winter. All of the members of the colony are descendants of the founder queen.
During the summer, wasps are foragers for food, but they also build nests. Typically, a wasp nest begins with a stem called a pedicel. The nest is then expanded by worker females. During the winter, the queen hibernates.
