Hobbies And Interests
Types
Wasps possess two separate pairs of wings and have three pairs of thin legs that hang down when the insect flies. Wasps also have antennae and three distinct sections---a head, abdomen and thorax.
Identification
The "waist" of a wasp, where the abdomen connects to its thorax, is quite slender as opposed to, for example a bumblebee. Wasps also differ from bees in that their body is smooth and lacks hair.
Function
The wasp's head has mouth parts designed for chewing, which it uses to eat its way out of its cocoon. The downward-facing mouth is also vital in defense and in constructing a nest.
Stinger
Only the female wasp has a stinger, which is a sharp thin extension of its egg-laying body parts. Wasps have the ability to sting more than once, because the stinger does not have a barb that causes it to stick in its victim.
Color
Wasps come in different color patterns. Baldfaced hornets, for example, are dark with white on the face, while yellow jackets are black and yellow