Page 124 - World of Animals - Deadly Predators
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16. Are there predatory 20. Can females decide the
wasps in the UK? sex of their larvae?
Yes – as she lays her eggs, she can
Yes – the majority of wasp species decide whether to fertilise them.
that we see in the UK are usually A fertilised egg becomes female,
which the species requires more of.
solitary wasps on the hunt. There
are 44 types of spider wasps found
in the UK, and even more of other
solitary species. The next time you
see a wasp buzzing around your al-
fresco lunch, the likelihood is that it
will be a hunter!
17. Why do they build nests?
Some species of wasp will build a nest © Getty
to form a protective environment for
their larvae to develop, as well as a
safe place to store paralysed prey for 21. Where do they live?
larvae to eat. Spider wasps build nests Solitary wasps are present all over
in tree bark or within rocky crevices. The the world and can be found on
potter wasp gets its name from the pot- every continent except Antarctica.
shaped nest that it constructs. There are wasps adapted to many
different climates, and many species
will hibernate throughout colder
months when prey isn’t so readily
available and so the conditions for
reproduction aren’t so convenient.
22. How many 23. How does
species are there? their venom
There are around 30,000 work?
identified species of wasp
Wasp venom works by attacking
worldwide (NetGeo), and the
the nervous system of the prey
vast majority of these are
in question. The venom contains
solitary species. Wasps have
evolved to fill many niches, and an intense biological cocktail of
peptides and enzymes that, once
their prey selection can be very
injected into the unsuspecting
specific. Thanks to this and their
vast numbers, they are great prey, work to break down cell
18. How many eggs pest controllers and have been membranes and cause paralysis.
do they lay? released into crops to keep pest Coupled with the wasp’s strong
Many species lay a populations in check. jaws, this makes for a bad day for
single egg within prey. wasp prey.
Some may capture
multiple prey items 24. Can they hurt humans?
and lay an egg in each. Even the largest and gnarliest spider
© Getty hunting wasps aren’t out to hurt
humans. Like many other potentially
19. How do they hunt? hurtful creatures, they’ll only attack
Different species employ different if they feel threatened and aren’t
strategies, but spider wasps will aggressive. If you see one, it’s best to
typically hunt on the ground, where leave well alone! Stings can be painful,
they walk. but aren’t considered to be dangerous.
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