With the arrival of the warm season, people have a problem in the form of wasps. This insect is very common. It can be seen in parks, plantations, in the country and even just on the city street. Everyone associates wasps with painful, painful stings. They seem to bring only harm. They do not make honey, and they can cause allergies. But there is still some benefit from wasps. Let’s analyze why wasps are needed in nature.
General information
All wasps differ in size and are divided into subspecies. Not only can they sting painfully, but they can also benefit people.
Types of wasps
Few people know that every year these winged predators save hundreds of tons of farm crops around the world, destroying hordes of pests of all varieties. Wasps are part of the Hymenoptera order of insects, which includes several tens of thousands of species. They tend to lead a social lifestyle. There are the following subfamilies of wasps:
- Scholia. They are one of the largest representatives of Hymenoptera insects. On average, they are 6 centimeters long. Their wingspan can reach 10 centimeters. The color of the rocks is dark with yellow and red spots.
- Sand Wasps of this species do not hunt spiders, their prey is insect larvae and aphids. They usually hide in earthen holes.
- Typhia. Representatives of this species tend to parasitize other insects. They usually lay their eggs in the bodies of various beetles.
- Hornets Representatives of this group are large individuals. Their wingspan is 8 centimeters, and the body size reaches almost 6 centimeters. Since they destroy a huge number of pests, they are considered beneficial insects for farms.
- Germany A distinctive feature of this species is a thick hair cover, which occurs only in females. For this they were nicknamed velvet ants.
- Floral Individuals of this species are considered the smallest among all Hymenoptera insects. Their length never exceeds 1 centimeter. They use flower pollen for food.
- road Representatives of this group usually have a size of about 3-4 centimeters. They prefer solitary existence and hunt mainly spiders. They can even overcome large tropical species. They lay eggs in their prey.
- Sequins They got their name for their beautiful golden color. They can parasitize not only other insects, but also their relatives.
Typical habitats of wasps are the middle and southern regions of the globe. They are found both in coniferous forests and in the tropics. The appropriate temperature regime for them is from 12 to 40 degrees Celsius.
Peculiarities of reproduction
The life of a wasp swarm lasts only for one summer. The construction of nests begins in the summer, and the female lays one egg in each of them. Such a chamber is well sealed. All individuals can reproduce independently. As soon as the offspring grows up, it flies away from the nest forever.
Those insects that live in families have a queen responsible for building the hive. Each individual goes through a development cycle lasting one month. A larva emerges from the egg, which turns into a pupa, and an adult develops from it. In a few years, a wasp swarm can number about a thousand insects.
Real benefit
Many people mistakenly believe that this insect is useless, as it is not a honey producer. And if we also take into account that there are those who have suffered from unpleasant wasp bites, then one gets the impression that they bring only harm. But it turns out that these insects can also be useful, they are as necessary in nature as bees.
Wasps participate in an important biological process – pollination of plants. They carry pollen on their feet. This gives people the opportunity to grow fruits and vegetables. Insects also collect nectar.
Thanks to the fact that they feed on harmful insects, parks and gardens become cleaner. Wasps are a kind of natural cleaners. They pose a threat to:
- leaf eaters;
- rhinoceros beetles;
- flies;
- bronze jacket;
- hedziv;
- caterpillars;
- teddy bear;
- leaflets;
- bed bugs;
- cicada;
- Khrushchev;
- long-nosed beetles.
All these pests destroy fruit trees and shrubs. Many gardeners specially plant plants that attract wasps in their summer cottages and plots:
- dill;
- cumin;
- marigold;
- musk.
Wasp larvae feed on protein. Adults deliver pest insects to their nests every day. Wasps use their bodies to lay eggs. Most often, they catch a bear. To do this, they inject poison into the pest’s body with the help of a stinger, thereby paralyzing it. After that, the insect can lay eggs in the bear itself, which becomes a living incubator for future offspring.
There are some types of wasps that are used in medicine. Insect venom from Brazil is considered useful and unique in its kind. It has been scientifically proven that it can destroy cancer cells. This poison is effective in the fight against oncological tumors and diseases:
- bladder;
- prostate;
- of blood
The wasp protein has an unusual structure, thanks to which its effect on the fats of cancer cells ends with their transformation into a liquid substance. Such a phenomenal medical discovery prompted scientists to develop a synthetic analogue of a similar protein.
Bites hurt
Wasps pose a danger to humans when they bite them. They pierce the skin with a sting. When an insect bites, it injects poison. The reaction of the human body is instantaneous. The affected area swells, reddens and burns. If a person is allergic to bee venom, it can end in anaphylactic shock.
Weak immunity can also be the cause of a serious complication. Even healthy people feel worse in such a situation. Within a quarter of an hour after the incident, the following symptoms appear in a person:
- weakness;
- dizziness;
- jumps in blood pressure;
- problem with orientation;
- headache;
- nausea;
- vomiting urges;
- swelling of the mucous larynx;
- convulsions;
- temperature increase.
If a person has a tendency to allergic reactions, swelling of the larynx can happen literally in a few minutes. Qualified help should be provided quickly, otherwise the bite may end in death.
A wasp swarm is a big danger. The bites of several insects at once can be fatal. When going on a hike in the forest or on the river bank, it is recommended to take any antihistamine with you.
Some people mistakenly believe that wasp stings can be treated. Alternative medicine does offer such a practice, but only bees are used for apitherapy.
If a wasp has bitten you, it is recommended to quickly move away from the place where it happened. A cooling compress should be applied to the damaged area. Then, without fail, take an antihistamine tablet. To remove swelling, it is necessary to lubricate the bite site with a special ointment.
It is important to remember what not to do if such an incident occurs. Do not drive away the insect, as it can bite again, thereby worsening the condition of the victim. Combing the bite site can lead to the spread of poison in the subcutaneous tissue. It is also not recommended to try to squeeze out the sting yourself, this can provoke the entry of a poisonous substance into the bloodstream.
Despite the fact that wasps rid agricultural land of pests, farmers often suffer losses from them. They destroy some valuable plants, for example, grapes. In the fight against wasps, they destroy their nests and carry out complex methods of getting rid of these insects.