Wasps play a very important role in the development of healthy agriculture

Over the years, several studies have re-evaluated the value of wasps for human health, thanks to their contribution to less chemical agriculture.

If there was a ranking of the least favorite insects on the planet, wasps would probably end up on the podium.Demonized for their stings, they are often considered enemies of humans.Furthermore, some species are considered invasive in Italy, prey on other insects and are dangerous for the cultivation of fruit trees, much loved by wasps due to their sweetness.What people don't know, however, is that this type of insect has a fundamental role in our ecosystem.A recent one research conducted in the United States of America highlighted that wasps act as natural disinfestants and can be useful in the control of agricultural pests.

An alternative to chemical pesticides

The study was published in the Journal of Economic Entomology and looked at a species of wasp called Polistes.These insects were placed in a large screened structure that contained broccoli plants.The researchers then added moth larvae considered a harmful pest to crops.Within a few days, scientists noticed that plant damage was significantly less than expected.The wasps, in fact, had preyed on almost the entire population of caterpillars and had thus preserved the integrity of the broccoli without resorting to pesticides or other chemical substances harmful to the health, especially of children where the incidence is up to ten times greater compared to an adult with possible consequences on cognitive development.As also highlighted from a report of theUnicef:one in twenty children worldwide would be exposed to high levels of pesticide pollution.

The benefits to the ecosystem and human health

In Italy, it was a 2021 study published in the journal Biological Reviews to reconsider the importance of this insect:“The value of wasps in supporting our crops remains poorly understood;we hope that by rehabilitating their bad reputation, we can collectively exploit the potential of these fascinating creatures", explained the researcher from the University of Florence and co-author of the study, Alessandro Cini.Scientists had noticed that wasps acted as vehicles for pollination.In the study it was noted that even certain orchids had developed adaptations for pollination so as to attract wasps with an appearance that imitates the back part of a female wasp.“Saliva also has antibiotic properties, while venom has antibiotic properties Vespula it has even shown promise in the treatment of cancer,” we read in the research in the list of beneficial properties.

The case of New Zealand

There are 33 thousand species of wasps in the world, however the largest and most numerous variety is found on the South Island of New Zealand.Here researchers are thinking of exploiting wasps as a natural pest control in agriculture.New Zealand uses beyond 5,000 tons of pesticides every year, a huge quantity that could be reduced thanks to a healthy relationship of coexistence with wasps. È the time has come to act and if we want to save the environment we must also reevaluate wasps.