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Wasps

Wasps belong to the order Hymenoptera, the same order as bees and ants. Wasps are often confused with bees but they can be distinguished by their pointed abdomen and their “narrow waist” or petiole. Wasps come in different colours, from the classic black and yellow, to brown, red, and metallic blue. Generally, brightly coloured wasps belong to the stinging wasp family, Vespidae. 

All wasps build nests. Some species make nests out of papery materials from wood and saliva, while some species use mud to make their nest.  Not all wasps make a colony, as this is only a behaviour exhibited by social wasps.

Despite them being intimidating, wasps are very beneficial to the environment and to humans as they eat arthropod pests.

There are more than 30,000 wasp species in the world and Australia has 12,000 of them. This information can be intimidating, but luckily most wasp species are solitary and do not sting. 

Species

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