Striped black and yellow insects are known to everyone. They can be seen in the summer, busy collecting pollen and nectar. Like any other living beings, wasps occupy their niche in nature and play a certain role in it. Let's consider why wasps are needed in nature, what benefits they bring, and whether they are dangerous for humans. How wasp venom is used in medicine, what will happen if these insects suddenly disappear.
What role do wasps play in the ecosystem, and what is contained in their venom?
In nature, insects play an important role.First of all, they pollinate plants, including agricultural ones, thereby promoting the formation of ovaries and increasing productivity. Wasps not only feed on nectar; in the insect world, they are predators; they control the population of pests, such as caterpillars and aphids, using them as food for their larvae.
In addition to their beneficial effects, wasps also cause harm. They spoil ripe fruits by gnawing holes in them and can also destroy beneficial insects, such as bees.
Impact on humans
If a wasp circles above a person, this means that it senses a floral or honey smell that attracts it. She has no desire to intentionally bite. Therefore, there is no need to drive her away. She may regard this as an attack and will definitely sting. You just need to not move or make sudden movements. After some time, the insect will fly away.
The wasp sting is smooth, without serrations, and does not remain at the site of the bite. The insect does not die and is capable of stinging many times. If the attacking wasp is not alone, there are others nearby, they can join it and attack the person together.
Wasp venom is a known allergen; inflammation, redness, and swelling always develop at the site of contact. The temperature in the skin rises, the bite site begins to hurt and itch. An allergic reaction can vary in severity, depending on the person's immune system. Most tolerate the bite quite well, the symptoms soon go away, and not a trace remains of the bite. But the poison can also become fatal if measures are not taken in time to neutralize the poison. Even after one bite a person can die. Multiple bites are even more dangerous.
Acetylcholine is involved in the conduction of nerve impulses, but at high concentrations it can disrupt the normal functioning of nerve fibers and temporarily paralyze them. Histamine-containing substances provoke the development of allergies, irritation and swelling at the site of the bite. May cause fever; a severe reaction results in Quincke's edema. The enzyme phospholipase destroys cell walls, which provokes the development of a painful symptom. The toxin hyaluronidase has a similar effect.
Wasps in medicine
Up to half the volume of the poison comes from melitin and other polypeptides, which determine its usefulness as a medicinal raw material. Melitin has a hemolytic effect, the ability to reduce inflammation, kill bacteria and viruses, including hepatitis B and C.
Studies have shown that melitin can be used to treat tumors and protects the patient's healthy cells from the effects of radiation during radiotherapy. The poison has benefits: it increases hemoglobin, reduces blood viscosity and cholesterol levels. Increases blood flow to the diseased organ, dilates blood vessels. It has analgesic properties, increases overall tone, improves appetite and sleep, and increases performance.
Consequences of disappearance
Bees and wasps are being destroyed, especially in recent years, by pesticides used in fields and gardens; insects are dying from the effects of climate change and the destruction of their natural habitat.
Already, the decrease in the number of insects is affecting the ecosystem. If wasps ever disappear, plant productivity will decrease and they will be more likely to suffer from pests. People and animals will not get enough food, which will lead to a decrease in biodiversity.
Wasps, whose lives we hardly notice, despite their small size, bring many benefits to nature, animals, plants and humans. Their main role is to pollinate plants, which in turn produce fruits and seeds. And also protect them from pests, also increasing productivity. Wasps, like bees, occupy an important place in nature; reducing their numbers will lead to a noticeable change in a balanced ecosystem.
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