Which Are the Most Common Wasps in the UK?

Thousands of species of wasps inhabit the United Kingdom, but which ones are the most common? Wasps are important pollinators and pest controllers, preying upon pest insects for their own food. They are also a source of food for birds, spiders, and insects.

There are two main groups of wasps: social wasps and parasitic wasps. Social wasps are beneficial to humans, but they also tend to be nuisances. Social wasps build colonies that consist of hundreds or thousands of individuals. They are a nuisance because they often nest in manmade structures, such as buildings, and sting people who approach them.

Social wasp colonies are formed in the spring when the queen lays eggs in a small nest. The colony is often made up of dozens or hundreds of males, females, and larvae. The colony can expand rapidly throughout the summer. The colonies are abandoned in the fall, and then die off in the winter.

Social wasp colonies often nest in manmade structures, such as walls and wood structures. These colonies can sting people who get too close, but they can also be beneficial to humans because they control insects. They capture caterpillars and greenfly, and they prey upon spiders.

Some social wasps live in burrows and other types of nests made out of soil or mud. These wereps are often found in residential areas and in residential lawns. They are also found in prairie areas.

Parasitic wasps are beneficial because they feed their young on other insects. Their larvae grow and slowly consume their hosts.