Quest Short: The smartest wasp

If they're all after Coke, they're just annoying. But wasps are actually beneficial. It turns out they are very smart.

Spike is smart and recognizes people

The intelligence of wasps is evidenced by research conducted by Monash University in Australia. In a series of experiments, the researchers showed European hornets two blue cards, with slightly different colors. If the animals sat on one color, they were rewarded with sugar water. But even without this reward, the wasps were able to distinguish between shades of blue after some training. It has previously been shown that wasps can recognize human faces. In other words: they can recognize you. So think twice next time you try to hit on such a troublemaker.

And even shorter:

• They may all look the same, but there are at least four hundred species of wasps in the Netherlands.
• Wasps are used as pest control because they eat insects.
• When a wasp feels threatened, it secretes pheromones. In this way, it sends a signal to its peers, who then come to the animal's aid.

If that black and yellow bell rings your bell, what's the best thing you can do against a wasp sting?

Want more short science news? Read here: Why you don't need a joint thanks to your brain, what exactly sleeping dogs hear, and how a chatbot beats a doctor.