11 October 2022
Wasp species are categorized as social or solitary. As their name implies, social wasps live in colonies, which may number in the thousands. Within these colonies, female workers perform all duties within the nest.
Solitary wasps live alone and therefore do not have a colony. They do lay eggs, but their eggs are left alone to hatch. Some wasps are predatory, while others are parasitic. Predatory wasps kill and consume other insects as well as other animals which they often feed to their larvae. Parasitic wasps typically lay their eggs in the bodies of living creatures like caterpillars or spiders. Some wasps are aggressive species and can sting when threatened. Unlike honey bees, wasps often are capable of stinging multiple times.
If a wasp nest is built inside, the resulting problem is an infestation that may become a serious stinging episode and perhaps an associated allergic reaction problem. Also, wasps that nest inside may damage the wallboard or ceiling. Another major problem associated with inside nests is the possibility of scavenger pests that infest abandoned inside wasp nests.