Wasps

Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Chrysididae, Pompilidae, Scoliidae, Sphecidae, Tiphiidae, Vespidae, Ichneumonidae, Chalcidae, Braconidae

Description

Wasps are flying insects and are often observed visiting flowers throughout blooming periods. Like all insects, wasps have three pairs of legs, antennae, and three body segments called the head, thorax and abdomen. Wasps can be distinguished from bees by their pointed lower abdomen and a narrow waist called a petiole, between the abdomen and thorax.

Wasp size varies among species. Braconid wasps (family Braconidae) are relatively small and typically do not exceed 1.5 cm (0.6 inches) in length. Some wasp species, like those in the family Pompilidae, can grow over 5 cm (2 inches) in length. Wasp coloration also depends on species, ranging from yellow and black, to shades of brown and red, and even an iridescent dark blue.

Although bees are considered more effective pollinators overall, wasps are the primary pollinators in some plant systems. For example, there are at least 100 species of orchid that depend on wasps for pollination. These orchids are “sexually deceptive” and mimic the chemical and morphological features of female wasps. As a male wasp attempts to mate with an orchid, it picks up pollen which can then be transferred to other plants.

Moreover, there are roughly 1,000 species of fig tree that can only be pollinated by fig wasps. In this unique symbiotic relationship, reproduction of the wasp also depends on figs. A female will enter a fig through a small hole, causing her wings to tear off. The wasp then lays eggs in the fig and dies. Hatched larvae then feed on the fruit from within, eventually pupating into adult wasps. Male wasps then mate with female wasps and burrow a hole through the fig through which females can now exit, transferring pollen to the next fig tree as the reproductive cycle continues.