- They are a successful and diverse group of insects. Wasps have spread to all parts of the world except for the polar regions
- They come in every colour imaginable, from the familiar yellow to brown, metallic blue, and bright red. Generally, the brighter coloured species are in the Vespidae, or stinging wasp, family.
- Wasps have two pairs of wings. The hind pair is usually hidden beneath the front pair and, when at rest, the wings are folded lengthwise in the manner of a fan.
- Most wasps live less than one year
- The most commonly known wasps are in the family Vespidae and are social, living together in a nest with an egg-laying queen and non-reproducing workers
- The needle-like sting is concealed near the tip of the abdomen. It is only possessed by the female-male wasps do not sting.
- The grubs require a largely protein diet and they are thus fed on masticated insect prey brought in by foraging workers. The workers, however, need mainly carbohydrates and thus favour nectar and a variety of sweet substances such as fresh and processed fruits
- While the vast majority of wasps plays no role in pollination, a few species can effectively transport pollen and pollinate several plant species.
- Wasps are distinguishable from bees by their narrow “waist,” called a petiole, that separates the abdomen from the thorax.
