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More About Wasps ...
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A wasp is any insect of the order Hymenoptera and suborder Apocrita that is not a bee, sawfly, or an ant. Less familiar, the suborder Symphyta includes the sawflies and wood wasps, which differ from the Apocrita by having a broad connection between the thorax and abdomen. Also, Symphyta larvae are mostly herbivorous and "caterpillarlike", whereas those of Apocrita are largely predatory or parasitic.
Most familiar wasps belong to the Aculeata, a division of the Apocrita whose ovipositors are modified into a venomous stinger that includes ants and bees. In this sense, the species called "velvet ants" (Mutillidae) are actually wasps.
A narrower meaning of the term wasp is any member of the Aculeate family Vespidae. This includes the yellowjackets (Vespula, Dolichovespula spp.) and hornets (Vespa spp.).
The following characteristics are present in most wasps:
Two pairs of wings (exception: female Mutillidae)
A stinger (only present in females because it derives from the ovipositor)
Few or no hairs (in contrast to bees); exception: Mutillidae
Predators or parasitoids, mostly on other insects; some species of Pompilidae, such as the tarantula hawk, specialize in using spiders as a host
Wasps are critically important in natural biocontrol. Almost every pest insect species has a wasp species that is predator or parasite upon it. Wasps are also increasingly used in agricultural pest control.
Mud daubers are a common species of wasp.
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Source: Wikipedia Read more about Wasps
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VIDEO CLIPS
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Hornet
1.370MB MOV View Movie
Tropical Ecosystems of Costa Rica and Panama (R. Hays Cummins, Miami University)
Hornets make some pretty elaborate and active nests. These wasps were found in SW Costa Rica.
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Wasp
7.740MB MOV View Movie
Tropical Marine Ecology Page (R. Hays Cummins, Miami University)
Ichneumonid Wasps laying eggs in a tree.
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Wasp
5.820MB MOV View Movie
Tropical Marine Ecology Page (R. Hays Cummins, Miami University)
Ichneumonid Wasps laying eggs in a tree.
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Wasp
7.860MB MOV View Movie
Tropical Marine Ecology Page (R. Hays Cummins, Miami University)
Ichneumonid Wasps laying eggs in a tree.
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Wasp
2.190MB MOV View Movie
University of Alberta
Hornworm with Wasp Larvae
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Ichneumon wasp
1.140MB AVI View Movie
Jarmo Holopainen - Digital Video Clips of Urban, Agricultural and Forest Pests and Beneficial Insect
Ichneumon wasps are parasitoids of insect larvae
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Wasp
1.450MB MPG View Movie
thaibugs.com
Wasps' nest. Takes a while to download. Might be better to save to disk first and play later.
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Wasp
1.670MB MPG View Movie
thaibugs.com
Parasitic wasp stinging and possibly laying eggs in a spider. Takes a while to download. Might be better to save to disk first and play later.
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Wasp
0.930MB MOV View Movie
Creatas
Wasp beetle on a leaf
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Wasp
0.930MB MOV View Movie
DVArchive
Large black wasp on flowers, Baja California Mexico
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Hornet
View Movie
National Geographic
Hornet Larvae
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