Paper Wasp: The Amazing Civil Engineer
When meeting wasps, extremes are noticed, either they fly in a swarm or singly. This is how the types of wasps are distinguished - there are single or social species. The second includes paper wasps, which got their name for the use of the corresponding material.
Content
General description of paper wasps
Wasp mother.
Types of social wasps are called paper. In total, there are more than 1000 species of these insects, but there are about 30 of them on the territory of the Russian Federation. They live in a family in which all members have certain roles, from building housing to caring for offspring.
They have uterusthat lays eggs in honeycombs, she is considered a queen. She herself builds the first nest and raises the first offspring of working individuals. They already further feed the larvae and are engaged in rearing the offspring.
Appearance and nutrition
The appearance of a wasp of this species is similar to all other brethren. This is a small insect with a thin waist, a black and yellow hue of the abdomen. The larvae feed on small insects, which they bring after chewing the adults. In the diet:
- flies;
- ants;
- caterpillars;
- bees.
Adults prefer to feed on flower nectar and fruit juice. It is then that they are pests, because they can spoil foods that are tasty for them.
Reproduction
During the season, several hundred insects may appear in the nest from one individual. But they won't survive the cold for the most part. In autumn, when life is established, male and female individuals appear. They fly out of the nest and mate. Males die, and females look for a wintering place.
Why paper wasps
Nest of paper wasps.
Wasps deservedly received such a prefix to the name. It all has to do with how they build their nests. They make their own paper. It happens like this:
- a wasp comes off a sliver of wood;
- grinds it into a fine powder;
- moistened with sticky saliva;
- applied to the nest.
After the mass dries, it becomes a loose mass, similar to loose paper. Honeycombs are created quickly and accurately.
Nest design
The nest is created with nothing by one female. She works methodically and the result is an excellent refuge for small larvae.
- A place is selected and the main base rod is made.
- Two cells are created on the sides, which will eventually become the base of the whole hive.
- Wasps set up honeycombs in an arc, one next to the other, with growth they become floors.
- A shell is made around the same paper, like a cocoon. It helps maintain the temperature and humidity inside.
Conclusion
Paper wasps are a whole species with several varieties of wasps. They have an important feature - cunning in the construction of their home. Clever animals use technology to create paper similar to that used by humans today.
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