Are wasps a nuisance or a necessity? Find out the truth… <\/p>
We all know that <\/strong>bees<\/a> are our top pollination heroes, but what role do their stripy cousin, the wasp, play? <\/strong><\/p> Surely, wasps are no more than the villains of the insect world,<\/strong> having no other purpose than to annoy people at picnics and sting them? <\/p> Wrong! Wasps play a key role in our ecosystem<\/a>. Read on to find out more:<\/p> Did you know wasps<\/a> are also pollinators? When a wasp travels from plant to plant looking for\u00a0nectar<\/a>\u00a0to feed on they also carry\u00a0pollen<\/a>\u00a0with them. Wasps generally have much less hair than bees, so don\u2019t carry as much pollen, but they still pollinate.<\/p> Find out more about the differences between a bee and a wasp<\/a><\/p> Wasps are also rather good at pest control. As wasps tend to be classed as omnivores they eat insects<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0spiders<\/a> as well as nectar and sugars from rotting fruit – which is why they are rather a pain at picnics.<\/p> And speaking of diets, wasps make a tasty meal for many animals, including birds, mammals, and other insects, thus helping biodiversity<\/a>.<\/p> So there you are, there is a point to wasps, a very good point!<\/p> The largest wasp in the world is 4cm long and a wingspan of 7cm \u2014 that\u2019s nearly the size of an average credit card? Plus, the 6mm stinger allows it to inject venom into any animal (or human) who threatens it. <\/p> Read more about the Asian giant hornet<\/a> but don’t get it muddled up with the smaller Asian hornet<\/a><\/p>So, what’s the point of wasps? <\/h2>
Did you know?<\/h3>