The behaviour is interesting because it shows nectar-feeding and pollination by non-flying mammals might be more widespread than currently recognised, and that the ecological significance of these lesser-known pollinators might be more important than we think,” says Lai. “It’s very exciting.
I mean, I am terrified of wasps, but I recognize they’re a crucial part of the ecosystem and just don’t fuck with them. It’d be a phobia, except I don’t panic, I just gtfo if possible and freeze if I can’t. Wasps (at least here) don’t tend to chase things that react to them by increasing the distance between it and you.
That being said, big wasps in general are indeed jerks who will bite and sting you without mercy. Hornets? Yellowjackets? Tarantula Hawks? Ew. Small ones though? There’s these little guys I’ve seen all the time that I just assumed were small ants, turns out they’re (harmless) wasps that use their size to avoid detection and don’t even sting. Entomology is a lot like filling a Pokédex, the “common wisdom” (the descriptions) does not always match the in-the-field observations of scientific value (the actual creature that might help you).
Pretty sure wasps are both pollinators and carnivores.
You are correct.
https://www.almanac.com/hornet-vs-wasp
Seems like they’re specifying non-flying mammals:
They’re also assholes that the world is better off without. (Anti)social wasps, that is. Solitary wasps are cool.
I mean, I am terrified of wasps, but I recognize they’re a crucial part of the ecosystem and just don’t fuck with them. It’d be a phobia, except I don’t panic, I just gtfo if possible and freeze if I can’t. Wasps (at least here) don’t tend to chase things that react to them by increasing the distance between it and you.
That being said, big wasps in general are indeed jerks who will bite and sting you without mercy. Hornets? Yellowjackets? Tarantula Hawks? Ew. Small ones though? There’s these little guys I’ve seen all the time that I just assumed were small ants, turns out they’re (harmless) wasps that use their size to avoid detection and don’t even sting. Entomology is a lot like filling a Pokédex, the “common wisdom” (the descriptions) does not always match the in-the-field observations of scientific value (the actual creature that might help you).