Why Do Wasps Exist?

Despite their negative reputation, wasps are very important for the health of the planet. These insects play an important role in the ecosystem by preying on pest arthropods. They also regulate populations of these pests.

Wasps come in many different types. Some are solitary and others are social. These social wasps have queens that build nests each spring and summer. Social wasp colonies can have over 5,000 members. During the winter, wasps seek shelter until it is warm enough for them to emerge. In the spring, the queen lays eggs in multiple six-sided cells. She then raises a starter brood of worker females.

Several wasps make wood pulp nests. Others burrow into plant stems to create cells. Still others eat dead flesh or nectar from flowers. These wasps are in the family Pleistodontes.

These wasps are parasitic. They lay their eggs inside their hosts and feed them as protein source. The larvae feed on the host by producing sugary trophallactic secretions. They also regurgitate food to feed their young.

There are over 30,000 species of wasps in the world. These include solitary wasps, social wasps, and parasitic wasps. Some of the parasitic wasps are used as pest controllers in crop agriculture. Other wasps feed on flowers and fruit. Some wasps build their nests on spiders, caterpillars, or other insects.

The earliest wasps are thought to have evolved from smaller insects in the Jurassic period. Solitary wasps are mostly specialists. They tend to hunt 14 different arthropod orders.