Common Wasp: a two-minute wildlife lesson

Bees and Wasps · day 6 of 7

Five facts

1. After picking a nest site, the queen hovers back and forth in widening sideways figure-eights to memorise the landmarks around it.
2. Once the workers take over, the queen only lays eggs. Her belly swells so much with eggs that she can no longer fly.
3. To keep ants out, the wasps coat the base of the nest's stalk with a chemical that ants dislike.
4. The nest works best at around 32 °C. On hot days, workers beat their wings like fans to cool it down.
5. Like honey bees, the common wasp has been shown to recognise human faces.

The quiz

1. Why does the queen fly in sideways figure-eights near a new nest site?

• To scare away birds
• To learn the landmarks around the site (correct)
• To dry her wings
• To call the males

This flight lets her mark the land using landmarks around the nest site.

2. What happens to the queen once workers take over foraging?

• She leaves to found another nest
• She becomes a guard
• She can no longer fly (correct)
• She stops laying eggs

As her body fills up with eggs, she can no longer fly.

3. How do common wasps protect their nest from ants?

• They put an ant-repelling chemical around the nest stalk (correct)
• They build the nest in water
• They post soldiers with big jaws
• They cover the nest in sand

They secrete a chemical that repels ants around the base of the stalk.

4. What do workers do when the nest gets too hot?

• They carry in snow
• They dig the nest deeper
• They leave until night
• They fan it with their wings (correct)

Above about 32 °C, workers beat their wings like fans to bring the heat down.

5. What surprising skill has the common wasp been shown to have?

• Counting to a hundred
• Recognising human faces (correct)
• Seeing through walls
• Making honey

Like honey bees, it can recognise human faces.

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