Ampiaisten

Ampiaisten is a Finnish term that translates to "wasps" in English. Wasps are flying insects of the order Hymenoptera, which also includes bees and ants. They are characterized by their slender bodies, usually with a narrow waist, and two pairs of wings. Unlike bees, most wasps do not have hairy bodies, and many are predatory or parasitic, feeding on other insects.

There are two main groups of wasps: solitary wasps and social wasps. Solitary wasps, as their name suggests, live and reproduce alone. They build individual nests, often in the ground or in hollow stems, and provision them with paralyzed prey for their offspring. Social wasps, on the other hand, live in colonies with a queen, workers, and males. These colonies can range in size from a few dozen individuals to thousands. Social wasps build communal nests, often made from chewed wood pulp mixed with saliva, which can be found in trees, shrubs, or underground.

Wasps play an important role in ecosystems as predators, helping to control populations of other insects, including many agricultural pests. They also act as pollinators, though typically to a lesser extent than bees. Some species of wasps are known for their painful stings, which they use for defense. The sting is a modified ovipositor, and in females, it can be used to inject venom. While some wasp species can be aggressive, particularly when their nests are threatened, many are not inherently aggressive towards humans and will only sting if provoked.