Filming this changed how I see WASPS!

Wasps are more amazing than I realized! Flight sequences were all captured by filming at 6,000fps.

Bald-faced hornet – Dolichovespula maculata
Braconid wasp – subfamily Braconinae
Tobacco Hornworm Parasitoid - Cotesia congregata
Sawfly – Macrophya sp.
Wood Wasp - Xiphydria maculata
Aulacid wasp – Aulacus sp.
Ichneumonid wasp 1 – Acrotaphus wiltii
Ichneumonid wasp 2 – Trogus sp.
Wingless jumping parasitoid - Lelaps argenticoxa

00:00 - bald-faced hornet
00:32 - Braconid wasp
00:55 - tobacco Hornworm parasitoid
01:48 - sawfly
02:19 - wood wasp
02:39 - Aulacid wasp
03:16 - hamuli
03:39 - Ichneumonid wasps
04:33 - wingless jumping parasitoid

Thanks also to Michelle Lotker for sharing that parasitized caterpillar, and BugGuide user Skitterbug for uploading those spider pictures with a CC:BY license.

[ludoviajante]

Your work helps illuminate the tremendous beauty of the insect world.
I started to respect these creatures more after becoming your subscriber. Thanks!

[NocheTenebri]

2:31 I love this shot of a wood wasp failing to properly take off and just completely flipping on its back.

[Sunflowrrunner]

Becoming a gardener changed my relationship with wasps. They like to hang out on sunflowers and other tall flowers, waiting to mess up some pests.

[mr.inspector]

It hasn't accoured to me that wasps could be this beautiful

[terramater]

Amazing shots! Our crew got on camera wasps that live in symbiosis with figs. The tree depends on the wasp to pollinate its flowers, but in return, it offers a hidden place for the insect to lay its eggs. The footage is incredible!

[RogerValor]

And then you see a yellow jacket flying at your mouth and your opinion about wasps quickly deteriorates

[AsioEntomo]

In my entomology class, everyone was assigned a taxonomic family of insect to do a presentation on. I landed on ichneumonidae, a large family of parasitoid wasps that I already adored. I think I ended off the presentation with something like "I love wasps, even the scary ones, and I need you to love wasps too".

[Mediamarked]

Most "pest" wasps over here (western Europe), are pests because they occasionaly sting during foraging. I got over my fear of wasps by feeding them and moving slowly, and predictable. Works exactly the same way with wild horses, funnily enough.

If you get scared, and move fast, you might be seen as a threat. Move slow and confident, and they won't harm you. If you are allergic, take care, and a epipen.

I've got a small pupae cabinet, of Aglais Io butterflies, probably infected by parasitoid wasps. Would have liked them to grow up as butterflies, but they have become food. Got stung by the nettles, which I foraged for food. Such is nature. And life as a whole.

[zoeyadams]

Learning about wasps was why I decided to pursue entomology in the first place. beautiful video showing off one of natures most beautiful beings. Also I got called the wasp whisperer at my part time job and I'm rolling with it

[PeopleAreFish]

I had no idea the diversity of wasps! These are beautiful

[anglure]

great video, there aren't nearly enough people out there who highlight the beauty, diversity, and intricacies of wasps

[Kids_Scissors]

Wasps feel like the bug version of those angry lookin modern angular cars with v8 engines and road-raging impatient drivers

[gussnarp]

I'm a huge wasp fan. Even the "scary" ones, as long as they're not nesting in a problematic location, are fine with me. So much pest control and pollination. And those Braconid cocoons on the hornworm caterpillar are a gardeners best friend!

[rmschindler]

I used to be really afraid of wasps (an early childhood memory where I stepped on a nest and didn’t realize until they all started stinging me—the first sting was right in the perineum). I hated wasps. But in recent years I’ve been looking at every living thing as the magnificent creature it is. I never would’ve guessed that insects can exhibit personalities! As far as wasps, now if there’s one stuck inside a café, climbing the window looking for a way out, I’ll let it crawl on my hand and I’ll take it outside. The relationship totally changed. They can be so gentle, so adorable.

[ESwift-Arts]

I think the “scary” wasps are fascinating too- they’re cool in the same way birds of prey are, efficient hunters on a tiny scale. I work in gardens inches from flowers swarming with hunting and nectaring wasps, and I’ve never been stung.

Beautiful video work, people don’t realize the beautiful colors and stunning iridescent, cellophane like wings that these insects have. And they’ve come up with so many ingenious adaptations and life histories to survive in the ecosystem!

[redllanterns]

wasps are one of my favorite groups of insects. they've always been special to me. i had the honor of watching a paper wasp building her nest recently, i just sat and watched for hours. absolutely beautiful and intelligent creatures.

[Kitty-ezbh]

I love wasps! They are just amazing. Really wish more people could see that.

[johnnypeck]

I found your channel in studio research. I've only recently become interested and I'm blown away! Yours is the most amazing closeup footage of a bald faced hornet I've seen and I've got quite a bit of it. So cool! Thanks for this.

[TheRealMirCat]

If you get a wasp in your house. Found the best and easiest way to deal with them is to stand by an open door/window, snap twice about a second apart, and then quickly point out.

[thechickenwizard]

Everyone always jokes about hating wasps, but I, for one, truly love them. They're decent pollinators, great pest control, and are fascinating to watch and learn about.