Road wasps and their description

Road wasps are widely spread around the world stinging insects, known for their "love" for spiders. Relate to the suborder of the pious, the family of Hymenoptera, and in total there are about 5 thousand species; Especially concentrated in areas with tropical climate. In Russia, the pompidov (as they are also called) number about 300 species. In maximum diversity are represented in the territory of Central Asia, the Far East and Transcaucasia.

Road wasps and their description

Taurus of road wasps is shiny and smooth, characterized by black color with impregnations of white, red or yellow flowers. Stinging insects are easy to recognize by the thin elongated limbs. On the front legs you can sometimes see the digging crests. The hind tibiae is equipped with numerous denticles on the outside, most noticeable in females. Wings are soft, often smoky. The abdomen of the males is equipped with 7 visible segments, the females have 6. The eyes are oval in shape.

Features of Existence

Road wasps (the photo is in the article) reach 40 mm in size, move quickly, and with constant fluttering transparent wings. In search of food, they fly very close to the surface of the earth. Families do not live, they prefer solitary existence. Care of the offspring consists in harvesting enough food for future larvae. On the eve of egg laying, females go out hunting for prey, which most of them are spiders. Then, paralyzed with a sting, the victim is dragged into a pre-dug mink to lay eggs on it. Sometimes road wasps grab other people's holes with already harvested prey, for which they are called kleptoparasites.

In addition to the holes dug in the soil, some females use tree trunks, strong shoots of plants, can mold clay nests on stones, branches, and lower leaf plates.

One on one with a spider

Road wasps, possessing, in contrast to the rest of their brethren, a powerful developed sting, mostly feed on spiders, most often exceeding their size several times. They are able to easily and simultaneously disarm their prey, directing the sting first into the mouth of the insect, and then - to the point of accumulation of the majority of nerve endings, responsible for the life span of the spider.

Types of road wasps

Road wasps, the description of which for their own safety is recommended to know to everyone, depending on the specialization on different groups of spiders are divided into several types. In the central Eurasian belt, a red-bellied species is often encountered, the female of which is characterized by relatively small dimensions, from 6 to 15 mm. He prefers to hunt a wolf spider. The breast is black, in the front part red, at the base covered with short, light hairs.

On the territory of North Africa, extratropical Eurasia to the eastern part of Japan, the wasp-crucifers are widespread; Based on the name, in the victim himself chooses spiders-crosses. It is characterized by a large, up to 21 mm in length, trunk covered with yellowish spots. The wings are also yellowish in color, along the edges are framed by a dark border. The limbs are yellowish-orange. Nests for dragging up prey predominantly in the sand.

The average diposigon. The road wasp, the bite of which leaves a lot of painful sensations and unpleasant memories, has a completely black color of a small, about 0.5-1.0 cm in length, trunk. In the corner of the front wings, a dark spot is clearly visible. As a victim, the insect chooses the spiders that live on the trees-sidewalks. Such distribution of insects in the territory of Eurasia, in the direction to the east to Japan and the coast of Kamchatka.

Road wasps: is the bite dangerous?

The use of such insects is to exterminate dangerous spiders for humans and destroy pests. Sometimes, in order to protect themselves, the road wasp can sting a person. If an unpleasant event does happen, you should immediately make sure that the sting remains in the body of the victim. Removal of its residues should be done very carefully, using tweezers.

To avoid infection, to cut, scratch the wound is absolutely impossible. The bite site must be treated with any antiseptic: alcohol tincture or hydrogen peroxide. To quickly reduce swelling through the gauze, it is recommended to attach ice to the affected area and constantly change it.

Effectively removes the effects of contact with a road user using a large amount of liquid: ordinary water or loose sweet tea. When allergic manifestations should be taken antihistamines. Throughout the painful period it is recommended to monitor the patient's condition and at the slightest signs of deterioration (nausea, headache, dizziness) seek professional help in a medical institution.

The consequences of a bite of a road wasp in an adult person are observed in the form of painful sensations and puffiness in the lesion site within 2-3 days. Great danger, up to the manifestation of purulent processes and anaphylactic shock, contact with such an insect bears pregnant women, children, the elderly, as well as patients with asthma, diabetes, allergy.

Methods of combating road wasps

It is quite a hassle to deliver road wasps, settling near the human habitation. They can be eliminated by the use of special traps, aerosols and concentrates containing a universal insecticide. The most effective drugs:

• Aerosol Mosquito. It is not recommended to use in confined spaces due to toxicity.
• "The Ghetto." The period of validity of such a powerful tool at the processing site and around it is about 6 months. The drug is low toxic for humans.

After chemical treatment, the nest can be completely eliminated by deep digging, if the latter is in the ground. Top for reliability it is recommended to pour steep boiling water. With a local arrangement, the socket can be placed in a bucket of boiling water and covered with a lid. After the water has cooled down, get it and discard it.

Folk ways

Of the folk remedies in the destruction of the aspens of nests, the trap-lures proved to be quite good. For manufacturing, you need a large plastic bottle and a glass of sweet, preferably sour compote. The bottle should be cut in the middle, in the lower part, pour the prepared solution and lower the upper half of the bottle with the throat turned upside down. Thus, road wasps, flying inside, outside can not get out.

As preventive measures to prevent wasps on your site, you should not accumulate spoiled foods in one place, allowing them to decay. The aroma of flowering plants is attractive for such insects, therefore it is not recommended to plant them near the house.