Wasps first appeared in the fossil record in the Jurassic, and diversified into many surviving superfamilies by the Cretaceous. They are a successful and diverse group of insects with tens of thousands of described species; wasps have spread to all parts of the world except for the polar regions.
Wasps have biting mouthparts and antennae with 12 or 13 segments. They are normally winged. In stinging species, only the females are provided with a formidable sting, which involves use of a modified ovipositor (egg-laying structure) for piercing and venom-producing glands.
Easy Wasp Identification: A Visual Guide to 19 Common Types of Wasps Wasps get a bad rap as unwanted picnic guests and unrelenting stingers, but did you know the majority of them aren’t aggressive at all?
Easy Wasp Identification: A Visual Guide to 19 Common Types of Wasps
The gall wasp lays eggs on a plant and injects a chemical into the plant tissue, which triggers the formation of a gall, sheltering the wasp larvae. Despite their small size, seldom exceeding 8mm, these wasps are known for their unusual galls.
There are two main types of wasps: solitary wasps and social wasps. Solitary wasps, such as mud daubers and cicada killer wasps, are rarely a problem for people. They don't build large...
Wasps: What They Are, Health Risks, Getting Rid of Them, and More - WebMD
Wasps are small, flying insects that usually have an identifiable black body with yellow bands. Typically, wasps have a slender, smooth body with a narrow waist, a pair of membranous wings, and six spindly legs. Many species of wasps look like bees, and both wasps and bees are important pollinators that can cause a painful sting.