How Much Does a Wasp Weigh?
WouterDepending on the type of wasp, the average weight ranges from ten to twenty-nine grams. The largest species are Asian giant hornets, which can weigh five centimeters in length. They can fly at six to thirty miles per hour.
A social wasp colony can contain a queen and hundreds of worker females. The queen starts a colony from scratch each spring. During the winter, the queen hibernates. In the spring, the queen lays eggs in multiple six-sided cells.
The queen wasp weighs 21 to 25 milligrams. The worker wasps weigh 10 to 19 milligrams. They are capable of flying at seven miles per hour. These wasps spend a lot of time after dark taking care of the nest. The worker wasps spend 12 to 22 days.
The average prey load of wasps was 74% of their body mass. The maximum prey load was 150% of their body weight. The range of prey loads was similar for large and small wasps. The large wasps carried prey that was twice as large as the small wasps.
A female wasp excavates half a gallon of soil for a single burrow. The nest can contain sixteen individual chambers. The nest can be 40 inches deep. The nest is protected by a queen that hibernates during winter.
A social wasp queen raises a starter brood of worker females. The worker females expand the nest. When the queen dies, the colony dies off. During the spring, the queen is re-fertilized. The queen can live for up to twelve months.
