Wasps are not among the most timid animals, especially the species that compete with us for food at the garden table with self-confident audacity. But despite their characteristics as assertive predatory insects, they are of course not the end of the food chain.
Birds eat wasps
What wasps need to watch out for
Wasps are obviously aware of the Darwinian principle of the progress of the fittest. With brutal vehemence they ensure the preservation of their species by tirelessly and with ingenious methods hunting their prey, completely fearlessly stealing from us humans and rigorously defending their people against. In this way, they also gain the respect they deserve from much larger and stronger "animals" such as us humans. The most defensive species here in Central Europe are above all the large, colony-forming short-headed wasps such as the German and common wasp and the hornet.
Of course, wasps also have to see to it that they survive in the unforgiving reality of nature. Because not all shy away from their mass strength and their dreaded sting. Your most dangerous opponents are:
- The human being
- birds
- mammals
- be crazy
- Numerous insects
human
Humans cannot actually be regarded as a natural enemy of the wasp, as they usually do not eat them. Although humans also eat wasps and other insects in some places around the world, the main human threat to wasps comes from control measures and indirectly from habitat destruction.
birds
Wasps are high on the menu for some bird species. Above all, the so-called honey buzzard, the bee-eater or the red-backed shrike are among them.
mammals
Some mammals also do not disdain the proteinaceous wasps as food. These include typical omnivores such as hedgehogs, badgers or bears. However, they only target the tender larvae and not the adult wasps.
be crazy
Spiders can easily trap, paralyze and eat wasps in their webs.
insects
It's hard to believe: Even some insects, which laypeople tend to classify as victims of wasps, are serious predators of wasps. Some dragonflies, robber flies, mantises, beetles and ants prey on wasps or prey on the brood. Wasps are also quite enemies among themselves, hornets, for example, do not stop at their relatives.