By Francis Skalicky
Probably no insect puts a bigger scare into humans than the wasp.
Bees rank high on some folks’ fright list, but they’re often given a break because of their well-known – and much valued – pollination work.
Some people include spiders on their insect scare list, but they don’t qualify because of a taxonomic technicality: they’re not insects, they’re arachnids.
Wasps, however, get no such slack from people. For almost everyone, the only good wasp is one that’s been squashed or sprayed with insecticide.
They don’t have to sting you – just the sight of these long-winged, long-legged creatures scurrying over their nest in the eaves of your house or barn sends you searching for the nearest can of bug spray.
