How Much Wasps Are in the World?
WouterWhether you live in North America, Asia or the Mediterranean, wasps are everywhere. These insect predators are important in the natural environment. Wasps are also beneficial to humans. They prey on pest insects and pollinate flowers. They are also used by the agriculture industry as pest control. There are over 76,000 species of wasps worldwide. They are divided into two main groups, parasitic and non-parasitic.
Parasitic wasps lay eggs in their host. The larvae consume the host from the inside out. They are useful pest controllers in crop agriculture. These insects can be identified by their stingers. There are 13,600 different species of parasitic wasps.
Non-parasitic wasps feed on insects, spiders, and other animals. They often sting to paralyze their prey. Most non-parasitic wasps are predators and feed on dead animals or insects.
Social wasps are more common than solitary wasps. These insects live in colonies of workers and queens. The workers gather caterpillars, greenfly, and other insects and control them. Social wasp colonies can have up to 5,000 individuals. Social wasps often live in colonies around homes. They lay eggs in the spring and hibernate in the winter.
Social wasp colonies consist of a queen, workers, and drones. The queen continuously lays eggs in multiple six-sided cells. A queen can lay dozens or thousands of eggs. Some social wasp colonies are started from scratch each spring. The queen raises the starter brood of worker females. The workers then expand the nest, and the queen continues to lay eggs.
