Flying insects with stinging tails that are usually yellow and black; they can be aggressive when protecting their nests.
From Old English 'wæps' or 'wæsp', possibly related to Proto-Germanic 'wapsiz'. The word may derive from an Indo-European root meaning 'to weave' due to the wasps' papery nests. The meaning has remained consistent since ancient times.
Wasps are actually nature's pest controllers—they hunt hundreds of flies and caterpillars every day to feed their young. Without wasps, we'd be overrun with insects that damage crops, but their usefulness doesn't help their reputation as summer's scariest buzzers!
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