A wasp is an insect which can be found almost anywhere in the world, and is notorious for it's painful sting. There is a wide variety of insects that fall under the wasp family, but the most common is the yellow jacket and the hornet. Wasps are commonly classed as pests and are especially prevalent in the summer.
The lifecycle of a wasp depends on the species, but in general a worker wasps life can last from 12-22 days, while a queen can live up to a year. There are many different types of wasps in North America, paper wasps and yellowjackets being the two most common.
Are wasps aggressive?
Wasps can become territorial if they feel their nests are threatened or when the availability of food is low, but most of them are not aggressive. Simply avoiding the nest area can prevent most stings. When wasps are out and about, they are usually searching for food and do not care if humans are near.
Are wasps harmful?
However, of the thousands of species of wasps in North America, most are harmless to humans. Even the bothersome ones are beneficial because they are significant pollinators and feed on nuisance insects that can harm plants. Some wasps do have very painful stings that can be fatal to people who are allergic.
