Paper Wasps
Paper wasps are roughly the size of a clenched fist. They are insects that lay their eggs in books. The pages are absorbed by the developing eggs and form the bodies of the wasps, and they use the covers of the books to build their hives. They harvest the ink from written words to feed their larvae and colored ink is fed to their large queens. They can go into a dormant hibernation state for decades if there are no books to be found, but eventually dry up and crumble to dust. Although they are highly flammable they do not burn quickly, so be careful about setting them on fire if you won’t want the flames spreading as the wasps continue flying. Their stingers do considerably more damage than a paper cut, and inject a venom that can cause fevers and migraines.
Additional Information
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Uncommonly found
Geographic Distribution
