Tawon

Tawon is the Indonesian term for wasps in the family Vespidae, including hornets and paper wasps. They are eusocial insects that typically live in colonies composed of a single queen, workers, and males.

Taxonomy: Kingdom Animalia; Phylum Arthropoda; Class Insecta; Order Hymenoptera; Family Vespidae. The subfamilies most familiar to people are Vespinae (hornets and yellowjackets) and Polistinae (paper wasps).

Nests are usually built from a papery pulp produced by chewing wood fibers and saliva. Nests can be exposed or shielded and vary in shape from umbrella-like clusters to enclosed balls; entrances are often central or single. Nests are commonly found in trees, shrubs, under eaves, or inside walls and attics.

Life cycle: In temperate regions, a queen overwinters alone, starts a nest in spring and lays eggs that become workers. The colony grows during the season, producing drones and new queens later in the year. After mating, the old nest dies with the onset of winter; new queens overwinter to start new colonies the following year.

Diet and behavior: Tawon are omnivores as adults, feeding on nectar and ripe fruit, while larvae are fed captured insects. They are highly social, communicate with pheromones and movements, and will aggressively defend their nest when disturbed.

Distribution and ecological role: Tawon occur in many regions worldwide, especially in tropical and temperate zones. They help control insect populations but can become pests when nests are near human activity.

Human interaction and safety: Stings can be painful and potentially dangerous for allergic individuals. Avoid disturbing nests; consult licensed professionals for removal.

Notes: The term tawon is commonly used in Indonesian to refer to wasps in general, while specific species have distinct common names elsewhere.