There are over 33,000 species of wasp in the world and they play a vital role in the environment controlling pest populations of insects, protecting crops, pollinating plants, dispersing seeds, breaking down biomass in the soil and providing a important source of food for other animals and even some humans. Wasps come in a surprising variety of shapes, sizes and colours and the vast majority of wasp species don’t actually sting humans!
Wasps like bees are either solitary or social. There are over 20,000 species of solitary wasp in the world Solitary wasps live and breed independently and do not build communal nests like social wasps. They are also very unlikely to sting humans as most species don’t have stingers (most have ovipositors instead – a tubular egg laying organ) the wasps that do have stingers mainly use them to hunt prey. Most solitary wasps find or make holes in the ground to nest in, some species nest in hollow plants, cavities in walls or wood or even construct simple nests made from mud. Mason Wasps (pictured above) often nest in old wood beetle burrows as well as holes in masonry and Cuckoo wasps like the the Ruby tailed wasp (picture below) are even craftier and lay their eggs in the nests of other wasps or bees where the larvae will then hatch out and eat all the food and sometimes even the hosts larvae.
Although there are over 5000 species of social wasp in the world you can only find 8 social wasp species in the UK, two of which are hornets. Social wasps (like the common wasp below) form colonies and build communal nests to lay their eggs in. Each spring a fertilised queen wasp emerges from hibernation and builds a small nest to lay female worker eggs in. These worker wasps then continue to build and expand the nest as well as bringing food back for the larvae whilst the queen wasp continues laying eggs.
Wasps build their nests by using hard mandibles to scrape fibres off wooden surfaces. They then chew these wood fibres down with saliva to form a paper like pulp which they can then use to construct intricate paper like structures. The outside of the wasps nest is covered by protective wavy layers of wood fibre that help to defend the queen wasps, eggs and larvae inside from the weather, predators, bacteria and fungi. Most social wasp nests also have sentry wasps that ward off threats and predators. Social wasps can also emit pheromones as part of an alarm system to other nearby wasps causing them to rally together to defend the nest, attacking and stinging any would be intruders.
Inside the wasps nests there are several stacked layers of shelves containing hundreds and thousands of individual cells. Each little cell is six sided and is big enough to contain an egg that hatches into a larvae that’s fed and cared for until it grows into an adult wasp. Although these cells may look very similar to the honeycomb structures bees create they are actually very different, the cells the wasps create are made from wood fibre not beeswax and the wasps do not use them to create honey or store food for the winter like bees do. Instead over the colder winter months newly fertilised queen wasps will go in search of a safe space to hibernate whilst all the rest of the wasps die off. The queens then hibernate until the spring when they emerge to start building a new nest and colony from scratch.
People often ask what is the point of wasps? And the answer is that they are incredibly beneficial to the environment, wildlife and humans! The abandoned nests they leave behind each year provide shelter and egg laying spaces for a wide variety of other animals, the holes they dig in the ground help aerate the soil allowing nutrients, water and oxygen in. Wasp larvae also help to break down dead and decaying animal matter releasing and recycling the nutrients back into the soil. The wasps themselves are also a vital source of food for a variety of wildlife from mammals like badgers, bats, bears, mice and weasels to birds, reptiles, insects, other invertebrates and even amphibians like frogs, newts and salamanders. You might be surprised to find that wasps are also enjoyed as delicacy by humans!
Wasps are also incredibly important to farmers and the agriculture industry as well as a wide variety of wild plants. They help protect crops by controlling pest populations of insects which in turn reduces the need to use harmful pesticides. Most species of adult wasps catch prey to feed to their larvae in the form of other insects, larvae, eggs and sometimes carrion. However the adult wasps themselves mostly feed on sugar which they find in the form of nectar, honey dew produced by aphids or sugary liquid produced by some wasp larvae. This is why they are often attracted to our sugary drinks and food in the summer. There are also 300 species of pollen wasp that feed entirely on pollen and nectar and only feed pollen, nectar and water to their larvae.
Whilst the adult wasps are hunting for prey or searching for nectar and pollen they also end up accidently pollinating plant flowers or dispersing their seeds along the way. There are over 160 species of plant including figs and orchids that have become entirely dependent on wasps for pollination. Some species of orchid even use pheromones or mimic the look of female wasps to attract male wasps as pollinators.
Fig flowers grow on the inside of the fruiting body and they emit a special smell to attract female fig wasps who crawl through a small hole into the centre of the fruit. The female wasps carry pollen from the figs they originally came which pollinates the flowers as the fig wasp crawls about laying her eggs before dying. As the fig develops into a fruit the wasp eggs hatch into larvae that develop into adult wasps. The male wasps emerge first to mate with the female wasps as they emerge. The male wasps then dye and the fertilised female wasps leave in search of another fig to pollinate and lay their eggs in. Figs are a great example to use when talking about the importance of pollinating insects in relation to the food we eat as without pollination by the wasps the figs would never develop into a fruit.
And finally the other amazing benefit of wasps is the potential we have for developing new medications based on the antibacterial properties of both their venom and saliva! Some wasps like the beewolf use their spit to coat their prey, the spit acts as a waterproof coating that defends it against bacteria and fungi. The wasp also injects the prey with antibiotic venom to kill of any bacteria or fungi within the prey before they leave it as a food for when the eggs hatch into larvae. And as a final measure the wasp eggs themselves also emit nitric oxide which acts as a further fungicide.
You can find lots of fun and easy wasp activity ideas below to help you explore and learn more about these amazing insects.
1. Go wasp spotting and take part in Citizen Science
How about going wasp spotting in a garden, park or natural area (between spring and autumn) to see how many different species of wasps you can find? You can find a great photo to UK wasps here and a handy flow chart guide here to help you identify any wasps you find. You could take a notepad or camera with you to record your finds and also help citizen science by recording any thing you find on either the iSpot or the iRecord databases.
2. Make a wasp observation trap
You can also easily make a simple wasp observation trap using just an old clear plastic bottle, some string, a piece of old sponge or cloth and some sugary liquid. First you need to cut the top quarter of the bottle off. Next careful cut or poke two holes into the sides of the bottom half of the bottle so you can thread and tie string through both sides, creating a simple handle to hang the bottle from.
Next fill the bottom of the bottle with a some sugary liquid like cola, fruit juice or squash. Don’t forget to place a small piece of sponge or scrunched up cloth into the bottom of the bottle to give the wasp somewhere to land on (so it doesn’t drown). Finally turn the top half of the bottle upside down and nestle it in the top of the bottle to create a funnel. Now your wasp observation bottle is ready to hang up in a sheltered shady space. Make sure you check on it regularly and carefully let any wasps or insects go as soon as you have observed and identified them. You could make multiple observation traps and experiment with filling them with different liquids or even fruits to see which ones the wasps or other insects are most attracted too.
3. Report invasive species of wasp
The Asian Hornet (or the yellow legged hornet) is a non native, invasive species of wasp that voraciously hunts and kills honey bees. As well as devastating native bee populations they also out compete native wasps and wildlife for food. The Asian Hornet is smaller than than the native European Hornet, has a darker abdomen and yellow ends to its legs, there is a handy photo guide here. If you spot or identify an Asian Hornet or Asian Hornet nest you need to report it via the Asian Hornet Watch app for iPhone or android. Or you can email them to report an Asian hornet sighting with a photo and location details.
Invasive species are non native plants and animals that grow, spread or reproduce quickly, harming or killing off natural plants and animal as well as upsetting the natural balance of their habitats. (You can learn more about invasive species in general with 10 fun and easy activity ideas here).
4. Look for wasp galls
There are over 1300 species of gall wasps in the world and these incredible little wasps have the amazing ability to change the genetic make up and tissue of plants. They do this by injecting them with enzymes so that they grow and develop a protective layer (or chamber) called a gall around their larva as they grow. The wasp larvae will pupate and stay safely inside the galls over winter before emerging as adults in spring. Wasp galls can come in a variety of shapes, sizes, textures and colours but they can be really easy to spot once you know what to look for. You can find a handy photo guide to wasp galls here.
There are about 70 species of Oak gall wasp in the UK but the easiest galls to spot are those made by Knopper gall wasp. They lay their eggs in acorns injecting them with enzymes to create the gall which appears as a spikey bumpy protrusion on the surface and sides of acorns. You can also often spot Oak marble galls and spikey Artichoke galls (both below) which form on the leaves and buds of oak trees.
5. Learn about Bastian mimicry
Bastian mimicry is a clever trick of evolution where harmless species of animals like hoverflies can deter predators by mimicking the warning patterns, colours, sounds, smells or even electric signals of more dangerous species of animals like wasps. Many species of insect like hoverflies, bees, moths, beetles and flies closely mimic the patterns, colours and even body shapes of social wasps, they do so because it deters animals that are wary of the defensive stings wasps can deliver. It is such an effective form of mimicry it can even deter real wasps and often fools humans.
The photo above is a great example of Bastian mimicry, although it looks like a species of wasp it is actually a species of day moth called the lunar hornet moth. How about looking to see how many examples of Bastian mimicry you can find when you are out on nature walks? It is easiest to spot insects like hoverflies (photo below), bees, beetles and moths in sunny spots around flowers during the spring and summer.
6. Look for abandoned wasp nests
The best time of year to find abandoned social wasps nests is in the UK is in winter when all the worker wasps have died off. It’s best not to approach or the touch nests until you know they are completely empty (make sure there isn’t any sign of movement or any wasps anywhere on or near the nest), normally the ones that have fallen onto the floor are the easiest to observe and retrieve. If you don’t live in the UK you need to make sure the nest you have found isn’t from a species that over winters in the nest as there a small number of wasp species in warmer countries that can actually survive over winter.
7. Experiment with wasp cell shapes
You can easily explore and experiment with the pattern and shape the cells in wasps nests form using card board tubes cut into rings. First bend and shape to the rings to form random sided shapes and then try fitting them into a pattern, you should find that there are lots of gaps and wasted space between the rings (or cells). Now carefully bend and shape the rings (or cells) into identical 6 sided hexagons like the ones in wasp nests and place them together in a pattern, they should fit together much more efficiently with very little wasted space.
8. Create your own wasp nest
Have fun making your own mock wasp, you could experiment with and use a variety of materials like paper, fabric and packaging, crumpled or balled up, layered or collaged together. You could even use papier mâché to make your wasps nests and then use them as story props or fill them with sweets to turn them into pinatas for party games.
All you need to make a papier mâché wasp nest it is some newspaper, PVA glue, a balloon and paint. Mix the PVA glue with water to make a thick paste. Cut the newspaper into strips and dip it into the paste. Drape the strips of newspaper over the balloon, slowly covering and layering it until everything but the knot at the base is covered. Leave the papier mâché to dry completely for a day or two. When everything is dry you can pop the balloon to leave a hollow shell and then finally paint your finished wasp nest.
9. Wasp potato prints
Potato printing is a simple activity for children of ages, all you need is a potato cut in half, a bit of inspiration and some paint to get started. You can either make a wasp potato print using one potato carved into a simple wasp shape and then dipped in yellow and black paint, or you could make three potato stamps to form each segment of the wasps body. You can then add in extra details like the wasps, wings, legs eggs and antenna using, paint, pens or collage.
10. Wasp nature collages
Making nature collages is a fun activity for children of all ages and abilities. It encourages creativity and helps develop fine motor skills. All you need is some paper or recycled cardboard, Firstly you need to draw or paint simple wasp pictures onto the paper or cardboard. Next collect as many natural objects as you can find for your collage. You could use leaves, stones, grass, bark, fallen fruit and flowers. *But pretty please don’t pick any wild flowers, only collect ones you have grown yourself or fallen ones you find on the floor. Arrange the materials on top of your picture in any way you like. You could make a frame or a pattern on top of the picture or you could create a mini habitat or garden for the wasps to live in.
11. Cardboard tube wasps
To make cardboard tube wasps you just need an old cardboard tube and paint. You could simply cut the cardboard tubes into three lengths then paint each one with wasp markings or you could cut the tube into one length then cut the sides down to form a wasp like body shape before you paint it. Finally stick, draw or paint on the wasps eyes, antenna, legs and wings When the wasps are dry you can use them as decorations, story props, napkin rings or even fill them with sweets or presents to give as gifts.
12. Egg carton wasps
You can also make some cute wasps using old egg cartons. To make egg carton wasps simply cut out the spikey centre parts of the egg cartons and paint them yellow. Then stick, draw or paint on the eyes, wings and markings. Again when the wasps dry you can also use them for role play, decorations or story props.
Or you can make more detailed egg carton wasps using three of the joined round segments from the bottom of egg cartons to form the wasp body. Paint the egg carton with wasp markings then paint, draw or stick on the wasps eyes, antenna, wings and legs.
13. Log slice wasps
Painted log slices are great fun to use in pretend play you could easily paint them to look like animals, people or food. It is easy to turn them into wasps using a bit of yellow, black and white paint. Once you have finished painting your log slices the children can have fun using them in pretend play or as story prompts or props. You could even hide them and have a treasure hunt or recreate childhood games by turning them into counters for games like noughts and crosses, snakes and ladders or even checkers.
14. Painted wasp pebble
We love finding painted pebbles and stones when we are out and about, it’s wonderful to see the creativity and love that people put into them. You can easily find pebbles to decorate yourself by looking in your garden, on a nature walk or along the shore. All you need then is some paint or permanent markers to paint or draw colourful designs onto the pebbles or turn them into animals like wasps.
Once you have finished painting your pebbles you could use them in pretend play, as games counters or hide them in your garden and have a treasure hunt. You could even join a local rock finding group where you show pictures of the rocks you have made and invite people to find them in a local park or a safe, easy to access place. Who knows how far your rocks may travel and the adventures they might have may have along the way. *Safety note please be aware of the choking hazard of pebbles with smaller children.
15. Flying wasps models
Flying wasps are so simple to make and great fun to play with. All you need to make these are some card, pens or paint, sting and a stick. Simple draw or a paint a wasp shape onto the cardboard then cut it out. You could then stick on extra details like wings, eyes, antenna or legs. Poke the string through the middle of your wasp model and then tie it underneath. Then tie the other end of the string securely to the stick. You can then have great fun flying your wasps through the air.
16. Pollination game
How about using your flying wasps to play a simple pollination game. All you need for this is a large sheet of paper or cardboard, recycled milk bottle tops, glue and paint. First you need to paint a random scattering of flowers across the surface of your picture. A few of them need to be big enough to place the milk bottle tops in the centre.
Paint the smaller flowers with yellow centres and then glue a few milk bottle tops onto the larger flowers. Next glue a small scrunched up piece of tissue onto the bottom of your flying wasp so it can pick up the pollen and transfer to the other flowers. Once the paint and glue has dried on the picture and wasp you can then fill the milk bottles tops with orange paint to make your pollen.
Now you can have fun dipping the bottom of your wasp into the ‘pollen’ paint and landing it on the other flowers to pollinate them. This is a great opportunity to talk to children about the important role waps and other pollinating insects play in the life cycle of plants and trees.
18. Mirror print wasps
Mirror image painting is a quick activity that also looks really effective. Simply fold a piece of paper or recycled cardboard in half. Unfold the paper or card and then paint half the shape and pattern of a wasp onto one side of the paper. Then fold the paper or card back up again and press down firmly across the whole of the surface. When you open the paper or card back up again you should have an interesting mirror image print of a wasp.
19. Wasp nature art frames
Nature art frames are really simple to make, fun to play with and create some wonderful images. You just need an old piece of cardboard a pen and some scissors. All you need to make a nature frame is to draw a simple shape or picture like a wasp onto cardboard. Your shape or picture should have at least 1- 2 easy to cut out sections that you can then look through.
When you have cut out the see through sections of your frames, you can take them outside to hold them up against any of the interesting natural objects, textures, patterns and shapes you can see, like the sky, trees, flowers and grass for example. The picture you see or create with the frame changes as you move it around. You can also take photos to capture some of your pictures and compare the differences in textures, colours and backgrounds.
20. Nature art wasps
Nature art (also sometimes called land art) is a wonderful nature activity that encourages creativity and fine motor skills in children of all ages and abilities. All you need is some imagination and natural materials like fallen apples, leaves, sticks, stones, pine cones bark and grass ect. You could have a nature treasure hunt in the garden or go on on a nature walk to find natural materials to play with. Simply arrange them to form patterns, shapes or pictures of animals like wasps
21. Make an insect shelter
Creating shelters for insects is a great way to provide food and shelter for wasps as well as increase the diversity of wildlife in your garden. Many insects benefit from having shelter and a healthy population of insects will also provide a ready source of food for the wasps and other wildlife such as hedgehogs, frogs, toads, slow worms, bats and birds. They can be made using just recycled and found natural materials and you don’t have the room or a garden for a big insect shelter you could always make a mini one to place in a window box or hang from a wall or fence.
An insect shelter can be as simple as a pile of logs or a plant pot full of sticks or as grand as a multi layered bug hotel. Collecting the materials to make an insect shelter is an enjoyable activity in itself. How about looking around in the garden or on a nature walk to find materials you need to use. Hollow bamboo canes, small clusters of tubing, bricks with holes in and wood with natural or drilled holes are all brilliant materials that create nesting sites for solitary bees.
Old wood like logs, branches, planks, wood, pallets, crates and sticks create the perfect conditions as they rot down for insects that like damp, dark places, like ground beetles, woodlice, centipedes and earwigs. Just make sure any wood you use is paint free and doesn’t have any loose or sharp nails or staples sticking out. Layered rocks, stones, pebbles, bricks, paving slabs and plant pots close to the ground all help create cool shady nooks and hiding places for creatures like frogs, toads, slow worms, lizards, snakes and spiders.
You can pack plant pots and the larger spaces in your insect house with other smaller natural materials like pine cones, cut grass, leaves, old dried ivy stem clusters, straw, hay, moss, twigs, old bunches of flowers and a sprinkling of loose earth to encourage the smaller insects. Remember to leave lots of spaces and gaps at the bottom for larger wildlife to hide in and under. To make a smaller insect house that you can place on a window box, wall, fence or hang from a tree you will need an old tin, mug or a flower pot.
22. Make a wildlife pond
Ponds are important source of food, water and shelter for many animals and insects. From amphibians like frogs and newts, to aquatic mini beasts and insects like dragon flies (which begun their lives as underwater nymphs) and the wasps, bats and birds that eat the insects. Making a small wildlife pond is very simple, all you need is a watertight container (or waterproof sheeting). Pond plants, rain water, soil, stones rubble and bricks.
Safety note: Open water of any kind can present a drowning risk for small children and pets. Please make sure your pond is secured in some way (with netting or barriers) so children and pets are prevented from accessing the water.
The first thing you need to do is dig a hole big enough to fit your container in. You then need to put a base of soil into the container to provide nutrients for the pond plants to grow in, and somewhere for water insects to burrow.
Next you need to make sure there is a basic staircase at one end to create an easy escape route for any wildlife that may fall in the pond. (To prevent accidental drowning). You could also add in some rubble, stones and old small terracotta plant pots to provide hiding places for aquatic minibeasts.
Now you can fill the pond with rain water or water from a natural local source (that you can safely collect in buckets ) It’s best use natural water as it won’t contain any of the fluoride or other chemicals may be present in tap water.
The final and most important thing to put in your pond are aquatic plants that will create oxygen in the water and provide a source of food and shelter for pond creatures and insects. We used duck weed as our tadpoles love it and it creates a nice cover over the pond to give them lots of shelter.
Another way to provide shelter is to layer piles of rocks, stones, pebbles, bricks, paving slabs and plant pots close to the edge of the pond to help create cool shady nooks and hiding places for amphibians and other wildlife to shelter in and hide from predators. You could also plant wild flowers and flowering shrubs round the pond to encourage pollinating insects and provide additional shelter for wildlife.
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