Wasp

A wasp is a common name for many insects in the order Hymenoptera, especially species with a slender body, a narrow waist, and a venomous sting in females.

A wasp is a common name for many insects in the order Hymenoptera, especially species with a slender body, a narrow waist, and a venomous sting in females. In French, « guêpe » most often refers to social wasps with yellow-and-black banding, but the term is also used more broadly for other related hymenopterans. Wasps are common across Canada, especially in summer and early autumn, and are familiar through garden, picnic, and outdoor encounters.

Definition

A wasp is an insect in the order Hymenoptera. In French reference works, « guêpe » is defined as a hymenopteran insect with a yellow-and-black ringed abdomen and a venomous sting in the female.

Classification and terminology

The term « guêpe » is broad and can refer to several different hymenopteran groups, not just one family or species. In everyday usage it often refers to common social wasps such as species of Vespula.

Behaviour and ecology

Wasps may live socially in nests or lead solitary lives. They are generally predators, though many also visit flowers or feed on fruit and other sugary foods.

Human interactions

Wasps are known for painful stings and can trigger serious allergic reactions in sensitive individuals. They usually sting in defence, especially when their nest is threatened.