table of contents
- Features and appearance
- Queens are bigger
- Only queens survive
- Building the state
- frequently asked Questions
Wasps usually live together in underground nests. The nest building and the founding of the state are carried out by the queen of the respective wasp people. How exactly does such a wasp queen look like?
In a nutshell
- Wasps must not be killed for no reason, they are protected
- The wasp queen builds the nest and provides for offspring
- Recognize queen by size
- "Ruler" falls into a frozen state
Features and appearance
The German wasp (Vespula germanica) belongs to the genus of the short-headed wasps (Vespula). These animals are characterized by their black and yellow coloring. Which acts like a warning signal from a distance. In appearance, the wasp queens do not really differ from their colonies, the workers and drones. In addition to the conspicuous body color, there are other features that can be used to recognize a wasp, such as:
- typical drawing on the head shield (front plate or clypeus)
- consisting of one to three small black dots
- middle point can also appear as a downward vertical line
- this can be interrupted
- or instead of the dots only a spot is visible
- Existing 0.2 to 0.3 mm wide area between the base of the upper jaw (mandible) and the lower edge of the eye
- In queens and workers, size is the same as the diameter of a pinhole eye (ocellus)
- slightly larger in males
- Abdomen drawing is variable
- typical, however, is the "diamond mark"
It should also be said that only all females have a sting and therefore can only sting, males cannot. the sting is:
- about 2.7 mm long
- has a barb
The muscles around the sting are so well developed that the wasp is able to pull it out of its victim after a sting. The wasp does not have to die in the process. It looks a bit different with bees, they die after a sting.
Note: A single eye on the head of the arthropod is called an ocellus, a "little eye". Complex eyes are also present.
Queens are bigger
The queen cannot be clearly distinguished from her colony by the typical characteristics of a wasp. On the other hand, the size of the wasp is more an indication of the ruler in the state. In general, queens of wasps are larger than the rest of the animals, namely:
- Queen 17 to 20 mm
- Worker 12 to 16 mm
- Males (drones) 13 to 17 mm
Note: Wasps must not simply be killed or tortured for no reason. They are under nature protection. Violations are punished with heavy fines.
Only queens survive
Have you ever wondered why there are no wasps to be seen in winter? This people is perhaps a bit "strange". During the summer the workers raise queens and drones. Finally, the queens are mated by the drones. Then the drones die and the queen goes in search of winter quarters. There she falls into a so-called winter rigor. The rest of the wasp state does not survive the winter.
Tip: If a wasp gets lost outside of its winter quarters in winter, it can only be a wasp queen.
Building the state
In spring the first rays of the sun wake the wasp queen and start looking for a suitable place for the Nest building. Then she begins laying eggs and rearing the first brood. After the first hatchlings, the first workers, they then take over the further rearing. The “ruler” in the state is then only busy laying eggs. The cycle now begins all over again.
frequently asked Questions
The little beasts quickly find out where to eat. It is always advisable to use plants near the balcony and terrace that animals do not like, such as strongly scented herbs, essential oils or lemon peppered with cloves help. Food and drinks should be covered. A remote place can also be set up as a "feeding place". Juicy fruit can be used as an attractant.
In general, these pests sting more often than bees. However, a sting will only occur if you feel pressured or see danger. Only the females sting. As a rule, a wasp sting is not dangerous. It is no more toxic than a bee sting; on the contrary, a bee sting releases ten times more toxins. However, a wasp sting can be life-threatening for people with allergies.
In the wasp colony, only the wasp queen survives the winter. In their winter quarters this falls into a kind of winter rigor. Only in spring, when the sun shows up again, is it awakened. The drones die immediately after mating in the summer, shortly afterwards the rest of the colony as well.