How Small Are Wasps?
WouterGenerally, wasps are solitary insects. The queen wasp lays eggs in a tiny comb. She also controls the release of sperm to fertilize the eggs. The queen only has one mating flight in her lifetime. Then she leaves the nest and disperses to individual overwintering sites.
Aside from stinging, wasps aren’t very aggressive. However, you may experience an allergic reaction to their stings. It can take a few days for the swelling and redness to subside. If you get a sting from a wasp, try to wash the sting with clean water. Then you can apply a little bit of bite cream. If you’re really concerned, you can see a physician for treatment.
Wasps are related to ants, but unlike ants, they do not have a narrowed abdomen. They are usually yellow, although they can also be black. They have six spindly legs. They also have a narrow waist.
Paper wasps are one of the most common wasps found around structures. They have long legs and wings, and they are usually smooth. They tend to sting when the nest is threatened, but they do not sting as much as hornets. These wasps are usually found in the eaves of picnic shelters or under porch railings.
The eastern velvet ant is a large family of pompilid wasps. The red wasp has a reddish-brown body with no abdominal bands. They can be 0.5″ to 0.8″ long. Their wings are black and their thorax is fuzzy.
