The vast majority of wasp species are solitary, not social, and many are parasitoids, meaning their larvae develop on or within other insect hosts.

When we think of wasps, we often picture yellowjackets or hornets, buzzing around our picnics. But these social wasps represent a tiny fraction of the total wasp population. The overwhelming majority – over 100,000 species – live solitary lives. These solitary wasps are often parasitoids. A female wasp will find a host insect, like a caterpillar or spider, paralyze it with her venom, and then lay her eggs on or inside it. The developing wasp larvae then consume the host, eventually killing it. This seemingly gruesome life cycle is a fundamental part of nature's balance.