Here is a collection of pictures I took in my backyard back in August of some flowers, the sky, and of course that most noble of insects, the wasp.
Want more wasp pictures? Don’t worry baby bird. I’ll feed you. Eventually.
They’ve Always Been Our Friend
Why do you think wasps are noble? I mostly just think they’re jerks.
They aren’t jerks. I had a decent sized wasp community in my bird feeder this fall and they never once bothered me. However, they ate many bothersome pests like flies and mosquitoes and gnats.
They recycle paper into nests and they are also very active pollinators.
In the fall, all wasps die, except for a few new queens. Yet, from those few new queens they create and entire new wasp population every year. One colony can produce as much as 50,000 wasps!
Now don’t get me wrong, there are some hornets, that are very aggressive and need to be dealt with if they are in your yard. But the generic wasp isn’t one of them. Also cicada killers are also badass and should be left alone.
There is a paper wasp nest somewhere in my roof due to the inferior roofers who didn’t use all the insulation that was provided to them. There continue to be wasps moving into my bathroom – even this week. Jason swears he sealed every spot in the bathroom they could get it. Except the actual light fixture itself. I still need to grab a ladder and figure out where that little hole is. My biggest problem with them is that they sting indiscriminately – just to be jerks. At least bees only sting as a last resort when they feel threatened.
Sorry Chris but I don’t like wasps especially when they get into my house. If I get stung by the little bums, I get sick. So….if they cross my door’s threshold or build a nest in my attic, they are most likely going to be squished. I try to stay away from them because they are just doing what Mother Nature taught them to do.
Shannon,
Wasps don’t sting indiscriminately. They know what you did, even if you don’t. Also, wasps can sting several times. Which is pretty badass. Also, only female wasps sting. That seems fascinating, wouldn’t you say? Another great thing about wasps is that when a wasp stings it releases a pheromone that summons more wasps to come help fight off the threat.
Linda,
Yeah, a lot of people can be allergic to wasp stings. However, one home remedy I read about it involves using honey on a sting. I happen to know a local honey proprietor though.