wasp wasp insect order bee means respect bees ants groups descended common ancestor form clade commonly known yellow jackets family living nest egg laying queen non workers favoured unusual system sex determination makes sisters exceptionally closely related majority wasp species solitary adult female living breeding independently solitary meaning raise young laying eggs insects life stage egg adult unlike true parasites wasp larvae eventually kill hosts solitary pest insect making valuable biological pest control species tomatoes crops appeared fossil record surviving cretaceous successful diverse group insects tens thousands described species spread parts world polar regions largest social wasp asian giant centimetres length largest solitary giant indonesia smallest solitary family including world smallest known insect body length smallest known flying insect long play ecological roles predators feed provision nests notably laying eggs nests appeared literature classical times eponymous chorus old men comedy science fiction novel food gods came earth featuring giant inch long wasp warships military equipment taxonomy phylogeny grouping cosmopolitan grouping hundreds thousands species consisting narrow ants bees contain somewhat term wasp narrowly includes common wasp yellow jacket genera simply common wasp close fossils form appeared fossil record lower broad sense appeared extant cretaceous appear evolved modern features appeared lower cretaceous brazil million years trees include extinct genus seven species known rocks fossil beds colorado baltic amber europe found baltic amber crown genus diversity diverse group estimated thousand described species world great example species trees tropics specific wasp effect wasp species females deposit eggs host larvae feed larvae start convert later stage consuming plant tissues host feeding species eggs laid directly plant tissues form protect developing larvae predators necessarily parasitic species larvae predatory wasp eggs deposited clusters eggs laid insects consumed developing wasp larvae largest social wasp asian giant centimetres length hawk wasp similar size spider times weight sting painful humans solitary giant wingspan subspecies sumatra java beetle female giant wasp centimetres long including long slender boring wood eggs smallest solitary family including world smallest known insect long body length smallest known flying insect estimated species families exclusively insects hosts family specialist spiders eggs laid larvae wasp larvae feed temporarily emerges host continue life cycle inside maintain extreme diversity narrow peru wasp species found living fly species species climbing social dozens extant wasp families family contains social species primarily powerful conspicuous warning coloration black yellow social frequent models non insects involved mutually beneficial insects including bees species social construct nests form plant fiber wood pulp primary material supplemented mud plant multiple brood cells constructed arranged pattern surrounded larger protective envelope wood fibers gathered wood mixing placement nests varies group group yellow jackets media prefer nest trees shrubs nests underside leaves branches chooses sites close water source like like nest include holes ground spaces homes wall species nests multiple species length reproductive cycle depends latitude example longer months longer cycle temperate regions solitary vast majority wasp species solitary insects having adult female builds nest benefit offspring solitary nest small groups alongside species involved caring offspring actions stealing wasp prey laying wasp nests species solitary wasp build communal nests insect having cell providing food offspring adopt division labour complex patterns adopted species adult solitary spend time preparing nests foraging food young insects spiders nesting habits diverse social species dig ground mud construct mud cells sheltered places potter similarly build like nests mud multiple cells attached twigs trees walls predatory wasp species normally subdue prey lay eggs leaving place carry nest egg laid prey item nest sealed smaller prey items deposited feed single developing apart providing food offspring maternal care given members family lay eggs nests unrelated host species biology anatomy like insects hard protects main body parts head including segment abdomen narrow waist joining second segments abdomen pairs wings held small hooks larger hind ones species females wings females usually rigid modified venom piercing extends freely retracted developed defence prey addition large compound eyes simple eyes known typically arranged triangle forward head possess adapted biting cutting like insects formed enables drink larvae resemble adapted life protected environment body host organism cell nest eats provisions left social species fed adults larvae soft bodies limbs blind gut presumably foul cell diet adult solitary mainly feed majority time taken foraging food young insects spiders apart providing food offspring maternal care given wasp species provide food young repeatedly development progressive potter sand repeatedly build nests stock supply prey large laying single egg body sealing entrance mass predatory subdue prey hunt wide variety prey mainly insects including larvae adults catching spiders provision nests social feeding fallen fruit dead insects adult male visit flowers obtain commonly return locations previously found prey forage social species larvae amounts consumed adults include provide essential protein building nutrients unavailable adults digest proteins sex determination sex determined system means females unusually closely related sisters enabling selection favour evolution behaviour females meaning develop eggs males number develop egg store sperm inside body control release individual egg laid female wishes produce male egg simply lays egg conditions species complete voluntary control sex offspring experimental infection induced reproduction inability produce fertile viable male offspring avoidance females solitary wasp avoid mating brothers recognition experimental comparisons probability female mate unrelated male twice high chance mating brothers female appear recognize basis chemical signature carried emitted males mating avoidance reduces depression largely expression ecology vast majority play role species effectively transport plant species generally fur like covering soft hairs bees stick subfamily gather crop inside bodies body hairs like bees flowers water leaf family nearly species crucial survival host plants equally dependent trees survival relationship fully solitary adults nutrients prey feed adults typically flowers extremely diverse habits laying eggs stages host egg prey venom insert eggs host deposit outside host host remains alive larvae emerge adults specialized larvae deeply buried plant tissues woody purpose exceptionally long detect hosts smell vibration largest species including large adult females long parasitic species relationship host immune system female wasp family specialized ants species hosted genus able overcome ants effective defences parasites species wasp including especially jewel laying eggs nests wasp species exploit parental care species attack hosts provide provisions immature stages paralyzed prey items consume provisions intended host wait host develop consume reaches adulthood example true brood parasite paper wasp lays eggs nests paper specifically larvae fed directly host sand save time energy nests females species stealing prey brood parasites removing female egg prey laying place according rule social parasites especially insects tend species genera closely related example social wasp members genus predators wasp including families attack sting prey items use food larvae usually prey feed resulting bits directly brood predatory prey lay eggs directly bodies wasp larvae consume apart collecting prey items provision young suck body prey adapted appear feeding organism merely submission impact predation economic difficult establish roughly species hunt bees including provision nests adults feed models powerful conspicuous warning coloration social models species mimic common cases mimic harmless essentially mimic considered mutual include species wasp beetle species wasp involved species bee prey wasp deter potential predators bee bird family eating insects making aerial perch catch removing venom repeatedly prey firmly hard object honey attacks nests social eating wasp larvae known predator dangerous asian giant killer relationship humans social considered excessively common nest close buildings people late summer wasp colonies stop breeding new workers existing workers search foods likely come contact humans people respond aggressively sting wasp nests near houses roof spaces present danger sting people come close usually painful dangerous rare cases people suffer life threatening shock species parasitic wasp especially exploited commercially provide biological control insect example brazil farmers control parasitic wasp species range species entered commercial use 1920s europe overtaken chemical 1940s received interest 1970s especially control lesser extent flowers species parasitic wasp natural predators help control instance control peach potato sport english professional rugby union team originally based london playing dates time names insects fashionable clubs club kit black yellow stripes club amateur called clubs bearing basketball club australia football club scotland fashion modelled jewellery nineteenth century diamond wasp gold silver settings fashion wasp female sharply emphasizing bust arose repeatedly nineteenth twentieth centuries literature ancient greek playwright wrote comedy play chorus old use giant novel food gods came earth flew convinced yard struck ground rose came thirty yards away rolled body sting stabbing emptied barrels ventured near came measure thing found seven half inches open wings sting inches long day riding feet hill narrowly missed running second giants crawling roadway wasp science fiction book english writer generally considered russell best novel book girl played fire film adaptation adopted wasp handle wasp tattoo neck indicating high status unlike real world situation like small wasp dangerous played indirect role nineteenth century evolution debate contributed doubts nature existence meaning powerful creator letter american naturalist darwin wrote wish evidence design sides misery world persuade god created express intention feeding living bodies cat play mice military equipment powerful sting familiar appearance wasp given ships aircraft military vehicles ships shore establishment royal_navy named gun sloop launched ships united_states_navy similarly borne merchant schooner acquired eighth aircraft carrier gained second world war battle stars prompting winston_churchill remark said wasp couldn sting twice second world war german self propelled named british developed wasp gun carrier wasp military helicopter developed england royal_navy navies flew wasp iii miniature developed united_states_air_force special operations
Wasp