Wasps, bees, and ants all belong to the Hymenoptera Order, one of the most varied groups of insects. As per the Australian Museum, there are over 10,000 species of wasps in Australia, many of which are crucial to our ecosystems.
Despite the crucial roles they play, wasps are often viewed negatively due to the aggressive behaviour and painful stings of some species. They can sting repeatedly and inject venom multiple times, which can paralyse a tarantula.
Most wasps are predators of other insects, including many pests, helping to control pest populations. They are indeed effective natural pest controllers, keeping various pests under control, particularly those that can harm your garden. While they are not as efficient at pollination as their industrious relatives, they still play a significant role in the Australian ecosystem.
This article will provide more fascinating information about wasps. Recognising what wasps are can help you find a solution to the threat some may pose.
Wasp vs Bee: What’s the Difference?
Many people confuse bees and wasps and consider both to be dangerous. However, this is not true. Bees and wasps have different physical characteristics, despite their similar appearance.
Appearance
Bees and wasps look quite different. Bees are more robust, hairy, and fuzzy than other insects, which aids them in collecting and spreading pollen. Wasps, on the other hand, have a thinner body, slender legs, and a shiny, hairless appearance.
Behaviour
Bees and wasps only sting humans and other animals in self-defense or to protect their nests.
Bees are less aggressive than wasps. A honeybee’s stinger is used solely for defense, and most honeybees die after stinging a predator or other threatening creatures. Because bee stingers are barbed, they remain in the victim. The bee suffers bodily harm as a result of losing its stinger, which ultimately leads to its death.
Wasps, however, are easily provoked and naturally aggressive. Wasps sting to capture and kill their prey. Wasps can sting multiple times because their stinger is smooth and slides out of their target; they can also sting when you try to brush it away. When a wasp is injured or threatened, it releases hormones that mark the area as a potential attack target for its swarm.
Food Diet
Bees do not consume meat and do not prey on insects or spiders. Instead, they eat pollen and nectar from flowering plants. Wasps, on the other hand, are predators for most of the year, feeding other arthropods and insects to their young; but in the late summer and fall, when queens stop laying eggs and nests shrink, they become more interested in collecting sweets and other carbohydrates. Aggressive yellow jackets that turn into scavengers around food and sweet drinks are not uncommon.
Nests
Wasp nests are made of paper-like materials created from a mixture of chewed wood fragments and their own saliva, while bee nests are made of wax. Honey bees (Apis mellifera) are perennial insects, and the nest will remain active for many years as long as the colony is healthy. Because wasps have annual life cycles, they only use their nests for one year. Only a few species of specialized wasps recycle their previous nests.
Sting
Wasps and bees sting in order to defend themselves and their nest. Because honey bee stingers are barbed, they are pulled from the bee’s abdomen and remain in the skin after stinging and flying away. Wasps can retract their stinger, allowing them to sting multiple times without harming themselves. A wasp’s stinger is usually not left in the skin; however, it is not always the case.
Wasp Species You May Encounter in Australia
There are several common types of wasp species that you may encounter in Australia. Below are some of them along with a few, fun facts about them.
European Wasp
In Australia, the European wasp is a well-established pest. This non-native wasp was first discovered in Australia in 1959 in Tasmania. They were well-known in Victoria, South Australia, New South Wales, and Western Australia by 1978, and they are now commonly seen in Sydney.
European wasps have a sturdy abdomen with bright yellow and black bands and two black dots on each yellow band. The first pair of translucent wings are larger than the second set. Their antennae are black, and they fly with their legs close to their bodies.
Their nests are made out of chewed wood fibre that can be found in ceilings, wall cavities, logs, tree trunks, and dirt. They usually build their nests underground or in cracks in walls, ceilings, logs, or trees.
Common Wasp
The common wasp is a stinging insect that looks quite similar to the European Wasp. Europe, North Africa, and Asia Minor are home to the common wasp. In Melbourne, Victoria, the first Common Wasp was seen in 1958.
They frequently live in enormous communal nests with only a little entrance hole visible. The sting of the common wasp is painful, and it can sting numerous times. They’re looking for high-protein foods to feed their larvae, such as pet food, meat from barbecues and picnics, insects, and spiders.
Asian Paper Wasp
Under the Tasmanian Plant Quarantine Act 1997, the Asian paper wasps are classified as Unwanted Quarantine Pests. Eastern Asia, including sections of Japan and China, is home to the Asian paper wasp. It is known to occur in NSW and the ACT in Australia. It can become a significant public nuisance and have possible environmental implications in regions where it has gotten established.
Asian Paper Wasps measure 1.5-2.5 cm in length, are yellow and black and have orange antennae. They resemble European wasps in appearance, but with a higher proportion of black, a lower proportion of yellow, and a thinner abdomen. The nests of Asian paper wasps have exposed cells.
European Paper Wasp
European paper wasps have a small head, medium-sized eyes, and yellow antennae that are medium in length. It has a slim body with a very narrow waist. The wings are a reddish brown in colour. Their abdomen is black with yellow rings or stripes, and their legs are lengthy and bright yellow.
The European paper wasp may consume a significant amount of invertebrate prey, putting native predatory insects at risk of extinction and indirectly threatening them through competitive pressures. Honey bees and native bird species may compete for honeydew and nectar with European paper wasps.
Native Paper Wasp
Native paper wasps are smaller and lack the bright yellow markings of European wasps. They are only violent while defending their nests; otherwise, they are helpful insects to have in the garden. Paper wasps can be found in cities, forests and woodlands, and heath. They are commonly found throughout Australia.
The head of a paper wasp is small, with medium-sized eyes and medium-length antennae. The body is slim, with a tight waist. The first pair of brown-tinted wings are larger than the second set. The abdomen is mostly black, with some yellow/orange streaks.
Sand Wasp
Sand wasps are often yellow and black, or white and black, with a banded pattern. Sand wasps have pale, greenish patterns on their bodies. The sand wasp’s tendency of hovering uncomfortably close to a person is sometimes misinterpreted as aggressiveness, although it is used to catch flies attracted to that person.
Sand wasps can be found in urban areas, woods, and woodlands in Australia. They are solitary wasps that build their nests in loose sand in a sunny area. They are not aggressive wasps, and if you approach them, they will not sting you.
Mud Nesting Wasp
The most common coloration of mud wasps is orange/black to yellow/black. Their length ranges from 5 to 30mm. Mud nesting wasps are the most common wasps found all over Australia. They are a group of wasps that nest in mud. Dirt-dauber, organ pipe, spider vase, mud dauber, and potter wasps are some more common names for mud nesting wasps.
Their body form is often “thread-waisted,” yet some mud nesting wasps have an exceedingly long and thin body segment between the thorax and abdomen that appears stretched out.
White-Faced Brown Paper Wasp
The white-faced brown paper wasp has a red/brown body with white rings around the abdomen and thorax and a white face. They can be found all throughout Australia’s eastern coast. It’s mostly found in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory. They can also be found in some areas of southern Queensland.
Tree Brown Paper Wasp
The head, abdomen, and top of the thorax of the Tree brown paper wasp are mostly yellow, with dark brown to black markings. They are most commonly found in forests, woodlands, and suburban gardens. They are widely distributed throughout coastal Queensland, the top and bottom of the Northern Territory, and a few nesting sites in New South Wales.
The nests of Tree brown paper wasps found in Queensland’s southeast are enormous, measuring up to a metre in length. The nests are medium in size and are attached to canopy/tree foliage for those found in northern Queensland.
Final Thoughts
Regardless of the species of wasps you encounter at your home, it’s highly recommended to immediately reach out to a professional pest control service. While it’s possible to handle a small nest by yourself, it does come with its own set of risks. The danger escalates if you have an allergy. Even without an allergy, being subjected to multiple venomous stings is far from a comfortable experience and could potentially be fatal.
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