Memes

For real though, aggressive wasp species give the chill species a bad name. It's like being mad at bumblebees because Asian giant hornets exist.

Yellow jackets for example are definitely unpleasant: they buzz you when you try to eat outdoors, don't get the message to move on when swatted at, and constantly carry an attitude of "come at me bro." However my local species of paper wasp (I live in the Pacific Northwest of the US) is crazy chill and very conflict avoidant: they don't buzz or chase humans, don't show interest in human food or garbage, and will get out of your way if disturbed (assuming you're not attacking their home)

In fact, we actively attract paper wasps to our garden by planting western yarrow, and even have plans to erect a wasp box for them to safely make a home in (no I'm not joking). Why? Because in addition to being peaceful members of our garden ecosystem--alongside butterflies, ladybugs, frogs, salamanders, birds, and other critters--they are dedicated hunters of garden pests such as cabbage white caterpillars. As someone who grows a lot of kale for its year-round hardiness, I cannot express how much I appreciate wasps' dutiful patrol of our brassicas and other crops. And if you can get a population to establish themselves near your garden they will indeed be dutiful in scouting out pests.

It took me a while to shake off my all-wasps-are-bastards attitude toward them, but I really cannot express how much paper wasps have become garden bros, and it makes me sad to see my bros vilified.

Wasps are also pollinators and are just as vital to the ecosystems they live in as bees and other native insects.

My two most notable encounters with yellow jackets (here we call them European wasps or Vespula Germanica) went pretty much like this:

oh shit, there's a wasp buzzing around on my path. Act cool, don't show your fear, just move on and nothing will happen

Wasp: stings

You bitch, just go extinct already

Me: Swinging at wasp with a fly swatter.

Wasp: "You don't scare me. In fact, I'm going to pretend you're not even here. La La La! I can't see you!"

Me: Standing there minding my own business while a wasp flies into me.

Wasp: "THIS MEANS WAR MOTHERFUCKER!! I'M GONNA RAIN HELL DOWN ON YOU THE LIKES OF WHICH YOU'VE NEVER SEEN!!!"

No. Nonono. Kill them. All of them. I won't have it. And don't try to convince me with your pollinator shit. I won't have it. This is personal. Every one if those erratic stinging motherfuckers shall die.

They do eat mosquitos, so that’s cool.

> Do any wasps make honey?

> No. Adult wasps drink nectar from flowers but don't turn it into honey. They feed their young by laying eggs inside prey.

https://www.sciencefocus.com/nature/do-any-wasps-make-honey

I love the memes of animals using keyboards.

I wouldn't even know if I'm allergic to wasp or bee stings.

Wasps don't attack me. Occasionally they do fly around me. Sometimes one steals a tiny piece of my cake or so. But after a short time they all leave, doing their wasp business elsewhere.

But never do they sting me. Maybe they are not provoked by me. Or maybe I'm a wasp whisperer. :)

I'll never get tired of this sketch: https://youtu.be/i5ZcCHCxhc4

"That's some... really skilled blade work, oh no!"

Nah wasps are chill.

I always assumed that Sky was comprised of Rupert Murdoch and an angry hord of hornets

Drawing is accurate, if bound to feature in my nightmares. (Anti)social wasps are flying terrorists and we're better off without them. Solitary wasps are cool, though, they can stay.