Species of wasps - interesting representatives of a large family

At the mention of wasps, an association with an annoying insect having a striped black-and-yellow belly arises. In fact, there are a huge number of species. Representatives of families differ in size, body structure, and features of reproduction. All kinds of wasps are united by a love of sweet fruit juice, nectar and fermented drinks. Female insects actively care for offspring, devoting the bulk of their life to this.

Body structure

A characteristic feature of insects belonging to the suborder of the cauliflower is the presence of a narrow stalk between the breast and abdomen. Wasps have two pairs of membranous wings, the body consists of a head, chest and abdomen. A distinctive feature of stinging insects is a transformed ovipositor. It is turned into a smooth sting connected with poisonous glands. Wasps use poison as a defense against enemies, and also paralyze caterpillars and spiders caught to feed the larvae.

Faceted eyes are located on the sides of the head. The antennae of insects serve as organs of smell and touch. The jaws are developed, they serve to tear insects, nibble the bark from the branches. Hymenoptera have two pairs of wings, functioning in flight as a whole. In the representatives of the family of folded-winged wings, they are folded longitudinally and in half. The legs consist of five segments, there are movable spurs. The abdomen consists of several segments, the presence of the stalk makes it mobile.

Interesting. There are wingless and short-winged forms of wasps.

Homosexual individuals differ in size, structure of legs, wings and other organs. The division of responsibilities in most public wasps is poorly expressed. Their uterus is larger. Larvae lead a sedentary lifestyle, require meat food and care.

OS classification

The biology of wasps has many differences, among them there are parasites-riders and predators, some species feed larvae with nectar and pollen. What are the types of wasps? The main classification divides them into two large groups:

1. Social wasps are single-womb families living in a colony and jointly caring for offspring.
2. Single wasps - representatives of this group build simple nests, each female lays eggs and raises offspring.

Family of public or paper wasps

Vespins

This is the most developed family of wasps, it is characterized by the complex behavior and architecture of the home. Vespins live in colonies with one uterus. She lays eggs, and workers hunt and protect the nest. The future queen is engaged in the foundation of the colony. In April, she begins the construction of a nest with the first honeycombs. The female lays eggs and feeds carnivorous larvae. Working individuals appear by June. With their help, home construction is faster, new tiers appear. These insects are the builders of large paper nests from chewed bark and saliva. The functions of the uterus are limited to laying eggs.

By autumn, females appear that are able to give offspring. They mate with males and remain wintering in shelters.The old queen dies, in the spring new families and new wombs appear.

Interesting fact. Hornets belong to the genus Vespa, these are the largest representatives of paper wasps. The common hornet has a size of 20-35 mm, and the Asian appearance exceeds 50 mm. An insect bite causes a strong pain and allergic reaction.

Polystyrene

The vast and diverse family of polystyrene includes more than 800 species. One of the most studied representatives of paper wasps are polystyles. Primitive insects build open honeycombs by hanging them on grass and branches. From 10 to 100 individuals live in such a nest. In some groups of insects, the colony is based on a single uterus, in others there is polygyny - the foundation of a family by several uterus.

Polystytes feed on ripe fruits, aphid secretions, and nectar. Their larvae receive partially fermented parts of the killed insects.

Single wasp

Species of solitary wasps include most of the insects of this type. They are more primitive, but well adapted to the conditions of an independent life. For breeding, insects use nests of various designs, some are parasites. The adult does not contact the larva sealed in the cell. Among the most common types:

Road wasp

The pompilid family includes over 5000 species, among them there are medium and large individuals measuring 15-40 mm. A wide distribution area covers all corners of the world, 200 species live in Russia. Most members of the family dig minks in the ground, where they leave an egg and a paralyzed spider.

The color of insects is a black body with red or yellow spots. The limbs are thin and long, armed with digging ridges. Pompilids prey on spiders, prey are paralyzed by a well-aimed sting.

German women

These fluffy wasps are called velvet ants. Wingless females outwardly resemble these insects. The body length is 5-30 mm; southern steppe regions are chosen for habitation. In insects, sexual dimorphism is very noticeable. The bodies of males and females differ in structure and size, males are larger. Insects are covered with black and light hairs, on the abdomen they form a pattern. Males are brown or black, females are brightly colored, often in red.

The Germans do not build their own nests, they parasitize in the homes of bees and other wasps. They lay eggs of larvae living in the nest. The Germans sting painfully, the bite is sensitive for several hours.

Glitter Wasps

Insects are distinguished by bright attractive coloring and characteristic brilliance. On the body of the glitter blue, green and red shades change. The size of an adult does not exceed 15 mm. This beautiful insect spends most of its life parasitizing on its host. It can be a bee, the sawfly was pouring a wasp of the Vespin family. The gender difference is the number of segments on the abdomen, the male has 5, and the female 4. The wasp-pollinator pollinates plants and destroy the pest larvae.

Scoli

The size of the insect depends on the species, there are giant individuals up to 100 mm, while the average size of the scoli is 10-25 mm. Insects are black, yellow and orange spots are visible on the abdomen. Their wings have a reddish hue. The female is noticeably larger than the male. Skolia grow their offspring on the larvae of rhino beetles and beetles. These insects are harmful pests of cultivated plants. The female stings the larva in the nerve center and paralyzes, then lays the egg.

Information. On reed plantations, chines are specially bred to help destroy the rhinoceros beetle.

Typhia

Insects have an average size of 10-15 mm. Their body is black, their legs are red-brown. Typhoid larvae parasitize on lamellar beetles. Insects can be found anywhere in the world. This species of wasps prefers to sit on umbrella plants, in case of danger they fold. Females dig in the ground, looking for larvae for laying eggs. In many references, typhoid is called beneficial insects.

Sand or Burrowing Wasps

Members of this group prefer to lay eggs in the ground.A squad of sand wasps brings together 200 genera. All of them prey on smaller insects that feed offspring. Some have a food specialization - aphids, spiders. Sizes of individuals from 5 to 20 mm, antennae shorter than other wasps. Life expectancy1-1.5 months.

Unusual fact. Sexual dimorphism in digging wasps manifests itself differently. They have a male larger than a female. Most representatives of the subfamily have a typical black and yellow color, but black species with red and brown spots are found.

Ammophila is a typical representative of her family. Her body size is 11-25 mm, the largest individual is 38 mm. A distinctive feature of the group is a strongly compressed and elongated first segment of the abdomen. A slender wasp is distinguished by the red color of the base of the abdomen, the rest of it is black with a blue tint. Hunts for butterflies, caterpillars, other insects. Paralyzed prey is laid in minks dug from the sand. She will serve as food for posterity.

Sphecids are large single wasps 30-60 mm long. They settle in sandy soil, prefer the southern areas.

Variety of wasps of Russia

In Russia, there are representatives of single and public wasps. Eight species of hornets, belonging to the genus Vespa, have spread throughout the country. The common hornet lives in the European part, Siberia, Transbaikalia, Primorye. The size of the female is up to 35 mm, working individuals 2-24 mm. In the Amur Region and Primorye, one can meet the Black Hornet and the largest representatives of this species. Among them are Vespa mandarinia. Females of this species have a body length of 43-55 mm, males 30-40 mm. Adults feed on fruit juice, larvae are fed meat food.

Among public wasps, there are species that build nests in the ground (Austrian, German and red) and on branches (forest, Norwegian, Saxon). Representatives of the genus Polist, building their nests without an outer shell, are found in the south of the European part, in Siberia, Altai and Buryatia.

Species of solitary wasps of Russia include insects building nests in various cavities. An egg and a paralyzed victim are laid in them, on which the larva will parasitize. It can be a fly, a bug, a caterpillar. The sizes of representatives of this species do not exceed 11-14 mm. Several species living in the Crimea and the Caucasus nest in the ground. Insects related to pill wasps sculpt nests from mud in the form of pitchers. They lay an egg and several caterpillars to feed offspring.