Next Burke Mountain Naturalists meeting has a little sting

While people on picnics might argue that wasps are not very sociable, B.C.’s so-called “social wasps” are a fascinating group of insects that would be highly watchable were it not for their sting.

B.C.’s most common social wasps are grouped into hornets, yellow jackets and paper wasps. Each of these groups shares complex social caste structures and behaviours that are not yet fully understood. These insects are carnivores that don’t eat their prey themselves; instead, they make a pulp of their victims’ bodies that is fed to their larvae and, in return, the larvae produce a nutritional syrup that is consumed by the adult.

Their mysterious world is the topic at the Nov. 10 meeting of the Burke Mountain Naturalists, when SFU biologist Sean McCann will present a slideshow describing the diversity and lifestyles these famous stingers.

The meeting will be held at 7:30 p.m. next Tuesday in the hall of Como Lake United Church (on the corner of Marmont Street and King Albert Avenue in Coquitlam). Non-members are welcome and attendees are encouraged to bring their own mug for bird-friendly fair-trade coffee.

For information, call 604-936-4108 or 604-461-3864, or visit www.bmn.bc.ca.

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