answersLogoWhite

0

There is a delicate balance between predators and prey in the world's ecology, and wasps are part of that balance. They may appear to just be a pest, but they also do a lot of good in keeping other insect pests under control. They are really a gardener's friend. For most of the year we are not particularly aware of the wasps around us, it is only at the end of the season when they become a nuisance. A knowledge of the wasp's life cycle will help understand this.

Mated queen wasps hibernate during the winter and emerge in spring. The queens find suitable nesting sites and begin to build a nest out of a form of paper, made from chewed wood fibres. During this time they will visit flowers and feed on nectar -- this is the one time when wasps are pollinators. The queen lays eggs and feeds the larvae on insect prey. The insect bodies are chewed into a liquid which is fed to the grubs. When these first worker wasps emerge they take over most of the queen's duties, except for egg laying. Wasp colonies rapidly increase in size and in just a few weeks populations of 20,000 are quite possible.

Adult wasps feed on nectar or anything sugary. They feed their larvae on insect prey and the larvae exude a sugary liquid on which the adults feed. They are more beneficial to us than people realize: one worker wasp can collect over 100 aphids a day.

At the end of the season, the colony will produce drone wasps and new queens. They go off to mate and for the queens to find somewhere to hibernate. The old queen stops laying, and this is where the nuisance phase starts. No eggs means no larvae; and no larvae means no sugary feed. The wasps have to find alternative sources of food such as ripening fruit, jam, and beehives for the honey.

When the cold weather comes, all of the wasps will die, except for the hibernating new queens.

User Avatar

Wiki User

10y ago

Still curious? Ask our experts.

Chat with our AI personalities

RafaRafa
There's no fun in playing it safe. Why not try something a little unhinged?
Chat with Rafa
BlakeBlake
As your older brother, I've been where you are—maybe not exactly, but close enough.
Chat with Blake
FranFran
I've made my fair share of mistakes, and if I can help you avoid a few, I'd sure like to try.
Chat with Fran
More answers

The purpose of a wasp is to pollinate plants and act as a natural pest control by preying on other insects. They also play a role in the ecosystem by serving as a food source for birds and other animals.

User Avatar

AnswerBot

9mo ago
User Avatar

Paper Wasps are a type of wasp species they build large nests up in trees or attached to buildings in some cases. These social bees aren't harmful unless you disturb their nest they WILL protect it with many actively painful stings.

User Avatar

Wiki User

7y ago
User Avatar

it protects it self in stinging on their enemies

and scare them with their black and yellow color.

User Avatar

Wiki User

14y ago
User Avatar

if u want to get an A+ in art...

User Avatar

Wiki User

12y ago
User Avatar

Add your answer:

Earn +20 pts
Q: What is the purpose of a wasp?
Write your answer...
Submit
Still have questions?
magnify glass
imp