Wasps

Wasps are insects with skinny bodies and narrow waists. Many have yellow and black stripes. They can sting to protect themselves. Wasps live almost everywhere except the coldest places. There are over 30,000 kinds of wasps.

Paper Nests

Some wasps build nests that look and feel like paper. They chew up wood and mix it with spit to make the paper. The nests can be round like a ball or flat like a honeycomb. Wasps live together in these nests. A queen wasp lays all the eggs.

An ancient wasp trapped inside golden amber.
An ancient wasp trapped inside golden amber. (Engel M, Ortega-Blanco J (2008) / Wikimedia Commons)

Good for Nature

Wasps help control pests like caterpillars and flies. They eat bugs that hurt gardens and crops. Wasps also help pollinate flowers when they visit for nectar. Not all wasps sting people. Many are tiny and you may never notice them.

Fun Facts

  • A wasp can sting many times, unlike a honeybee.
  • The fig tree depends on tiny wasps to help it grow fruit.
  • Some wasps live alone and do not make big nests.

Did You Know?

People learned how to make paper by watching wasps build their paper nests.