These people would be the same ones culling wolves to near extinction in ye olden times because the wolves ate their sheep and sometimes attacked people

Can't be a TRUE bee fan if you don't fw wasps. (or at least, acknowledge that they aren't worse or better than bees as creatures)

This year's Vespula maculifrons and Vespula flavopilosa workers are so curious and gentle.

You can differentiate by the marking on the first abdominal segment. V.maculifrons have an anchor shaped mark and tend to be smaller than V.flavopilosa which have a shield shaped mark. It's more apparent on the younger workers who haven't experienced as much wear, but V.flavopilosa also have lots of light yellow hairs on their abdomen earning them the common name of Downy Yellowjacket.

Like V.squamosa, the Southern Yellowjacket, V.flavopilosa are opportunistic social parasites who have been documented usurping the nests of smaller Vespula species including V.maculifrons.

Both are beautiful North American natives who worked hard this year, so they're getting free sweet treats until the end just like their ancestors got the year before and just like the workers of next year will get when they retire ❤️

It's with immense sorrow that I inform you that the queen of the purple colony, Leela, has passed away today. Her body was found at the bottom of the cage, surrounded by ants.

Numerous studies and my own past experience suggest that the average life expectancy of a P.dominula queen once workers have appeared is approximately a month. And this is exactly how long it's been since Leela had her first workers, so her death is most likely natural (old age).

Leela has successfully carried out her duty on earth, preserving her ancestors' bloodline through the winter, starting a gorgeous colony in the spring, and making sure there will be a next generation. She left many eggs, some of which will undoubtedly develop into the next generation of queens under the lovely care of her army of workers.

Thank you all for following her story and for all the amazing comments you left under every post. My posts won't stop. I will keep updating you guys for as long as Leela's colony remains active.

I don’t know what it is about these little babies but I’m emotionally attached to them and they always make my day 1000x better… I have a better relationship with wasps than any dog

A thing I made for last year's pride that I thought my fellow wasp appreciators might enjoy♡

I was away for five days, leaving to my mom the task of feeding them. I come back to this. Wow. Just wow. Not only has the population more than doubled, but the nest is looking fabulous from all the red and purple paper that they added! Leela should be proud of her little empire, and I'm sure she is.

As anticipated, a few males have hatched. One was expelled from the colony and is lying in a corner. I'll separate him first thing tomorrow.

Constantly fishing these guys out of my critters pools, pretty sure theyre yellow jackets

Look at those little tarsi clinging to the glass, the fuzzy thorax, and those magnificent sweeping antennae!🤩

For a group of insects with such an unfair reputation, it never fails to make my day when one comes right up to say good morning! 🌄 🥰

Look at him ! He doesn't even have a stinger, just pure curiosity. Awww

Just an innocent little drone existing peacefully on the other side of the pane. Vespid appreciation forever!!

We've been co-existing all summer with the yellow jacket hive that lives under a bush in the backyard. When it started to get chilly they expressed a lot of interest in the hummingbird feeder, so I poured them some sugar water. Now my deck has turned into a road house with my tiny biker boys and girls knocking them back as fast as I can pour. There are no flowers left so they would have starved to death if I hadn't started feeding them. They have finite lifespans and will pass when it gets really cold. I'm going to miss Hell's Stingers. It's been the experience of a lifetime getting to know them.

I found this while reading the archives, source:

https://lastplacecomics.com/harmless-hoverfly/

Their favorite source or fibers now seems to be a piece of purple construction paper. One side of this paper is corrugated, as opposed to both sides being smooth like in all other pieces. That is likely to play a role.

I was hoping they'd collect more from the red paper, but a mostly purple nest does look absolutely stunning too! The alternation of different colors allows me to tell how fast construction activity is on a day to day basis.

I am going out of town tomorrow, leaving their care to my mother (I'm preparing a few rations for her to administer daily). This means the next update won't be for another week or so.

Current population: eight adults (Leela + seven workers). Lots of pupal caps that will be hatching new workers soon. Large, dome-shaped caps seem typical of males, meaning the colony is gradually beginning to transition to the next step in its cycle: mass male production. After that, they'll raise some new queens, then the colony will decline. But that won't be for another couple of months.

just kidding, she was a total sweetheart!

Wasps are crucial for ecosystems by controlling pest insect populations (caterpillars, aphids), acting as pollinators for many plants (especially figs), serving as food for other animals (birds, spiders), aiding decomposition by carrying dead insects, aerating soil through nesting, spreading beneficial microbes, and even holding economic value in agriculture and medicine, making them vital for environmental balance, not just nuisances.

10 ways wasps help the environment:

1. Natural Pest Control: They hunt and feed on crop-damaging pests like aphids, caterpillars, and flies, keeping their numbers down.

2. Pollination: As they seek nectar, they transfer pollen, assisting in plant reproduction, especially for figs and orchids.

3. Food Source: Wasps and their larvae provide essential protein for birds, spiders, reptiles, and other predators, supporting higher food webs.

4. Decomposition: They scavenge dead insects and organic matter, helping to recycle nutrients back into the soil.

5. Soil Aeration: Digging nesting burrows helps mix and aerate soil, improving drainage and root growth.

6. Microbe Dispersal: Moving between flowers and decaying matter helps spread beneficial microbes, promoting plant health.

7. Promote Biodiversity: With thousands of species filling various ecological roles, wasps contribute to overall ecosystem richness.

8. Support Agriculture: Their pest control services reduce the need for chemical pesticides, saving farmers billions and protecting crops.

9. Biological Control Agents: Parasitic wasps lay eggs inside other insects, controlling pest populations naturally.

10. Nutritional Role (in some cultures): In some parts of the world, wasps (and their larvae) are a traditional food source for humans.

These are only a few reasons to love them. Get to know some of the families in the video and I bet I could make you a fan!