by Leslie Cox; Monday; November 25, 2024

 

Did you know…

 

             …that paper wasps exhibit logical reasoning? Something which has always been considered a capability solely restricted to humans?

 

A study undertaken at the University of Michigan on two species of paper wasps, Polistes dominula and Polistes metricus, found these wasps had a grasp on transitive inference. The wasps were able to make a logical arrangement whereby if A is greater than B, and B is greater than C, then A must be greater than C.

 

The study also found that paper wasps can also recognize other individual wasps by looking at their faces.

 

 

This trait might also be true in their recognition of certain humans. I have often worked side-by-side with one or more paper wasps…me squishing azalea sawfly larvae and the wasp feasting on their breakfast or lunch. My hand has often brushed the wasp with no aggression erupting from the wasp.