Wasps

Wasps look very much like bees and are just as plentiful, about 30,000 solitary and social species worldwide. They are thinner and less fuzzy than bees but many feed on nectar from flowering plants. Other wasps feed on animal matter like dead insects, larvae, crickets, caterpillars, and garbage. They live in nests underground or in meadows, trees or under overhangs. Wasps, which include hornets and yellow jackets, can sting repeatedly, and they don't die after stinging. Their social structures include one queens, fertile drones, and infertile female workers. The "nuisance" wasps have nests of papery combs often found under eaves or inside walls of houses. Yellow jackets build nests underground, in small holes, or they burrow inside walls.

Wasps may sting multiple times and do not die as a result. The sting can be painful but is rarely dangerous. The wasp stings only in self defense or when its hive is threatened. Sometimes armies of wasps react to a disturbance of their nest. A wasp sting usually causes pain and swelling, and medical assistance is a good idea. A professional should always be called to remove a nuisance hive. In the countryside, food and open cans of soda attract wasps. If a swarm attacks, run to bushes or thick vegetation. If a wasp gets into the car, stop and open the windows. Don't panic.