Poor Quest (Mr Green). It was his unfortunate turn to be badly stung by wasps this morning. Mr Red (now Andras) had his turn before this. Quest was in the woods this morning and obviously disturbed a nest in the ground. He came screaming towards me, covered in about 12 wasps. I threw my jacket on him to rub them off, rushed him into the house, pulled stingers out of him and rubbed the wounds with vinegar this time instead of a paste of baking soda and water.
He easily had about 12 stings or even more. Poor fellow. The vinegar did work to reduce the pain and swelling but I have to remember to wear gloves when I do this as the acetic acid started to sting my skin after prolonged exposure. Quest trembled and then slept for most of the morning although he did have an appetite but we kept feeding to a small meal in case he felt ill. By late afternoon, he had returned to his normal self but I fear he may now be bug phobic as he was fleeing in terror when a fly was around him.
It's a terrible time of year for wasps. We get a lot of them but I think we actually have more than in past years. They nest in trees, the ground, on our house and other places. What good do they perform? Please tell me because I honestly can't think of anything. I hate them. They are horrible!
What an awful experience for you and Quest. It makes me shiver just reading about it. Poor little guy. Here is what I found out on the internet about the purpose for wasps. Did doesn't make what Quest went through okay but appears they do serve a good purpose.
ReplyDelete"Most wasp species are predators. Their function is in the control of many other insect species. They are actually very effective parasitoids, and because of this efficiency they have been used for decades as biological control agents. Many crop pests including hornworms and scale insects which cost millions of dollars in loss annually are controlled by wasps. Without these predators, tomatoes, oranges, tobacco, and many other important crops would be so scarce that the price of them would skyrocket.
Their method of efficiency is that they will lay one egg on the back of a caterpillar, and throught the process of polyembrony, the egg multiplies itself, producing hundreds of larvae. These larvae hatch, kill the caterpillar, and pupate. Once development is complete, the newly formed wasps will emerge and go out in search of their own caterpillar to deposit eggs on. After a year, there are millions of these wasps and they are naturally able to control the number of potentially devastating pest species.
In nature, most moths and beetles have some species of wasp that is their specific parasitoid. Without these parasitoids, longhorn beetles would reduce the forest to sawdust and caterpillars would strip every leaf off of every plant they can find. Wasps act to control their numbers, and keep a balance between the pests and the hosts.
Certain wasps, like yellow jackets (the ones by the picnic table) are actually pollinators and ensure the survival of many plant species, just like their very close relatives, the bees."
Thanks Pam. I sure didn't know all that. I realize everything has a purpose on this planet. It's hard to feel warm and fuzzy about wasps, especially when they sting so badly, even though they perform a valuable role.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree more Sylvia. It is hard to appreciate them when they affect the little guys so much.
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