Scientists have said wasps are beneficial insects rather than “bothersome and pointless” as they release a new map of the UK’s wasp population.
Results have been released after data was gathered by volunteers over two weeks as part of the Big Wasp Survey.
The researchers have said the insect deserves more appreciation than it currently gets.
Dr Seirian Sumner of University College London said without wasps, which are nature’s pest controllers, humans would have to use a lot more pesticides.
"They're the maligned insect of the insect world - they're viewed as the gangsters, " she told the BBC.
"Whereas actually we should be viewing them as a beneficial insect - they're doing us a favour, and we're just completely overlooking that favour."
The survey came about after Dr Sumner and Adam Hart of the University of Gloucestershire wanted to draw attention to the role wasps have in the natural world.
The researchers gathered more than 6,000 wasp samples for identification after 2,000 people took part in the two-week citizen science project in summer 2017.
The findings, published in the Insect Conservation Diversity journal, were used to draw up a map showing the distribution of common wasps and hornets.
The German wasp and the common yellowjacket wasp were the most common species (both representing 44%). The European hornet made up 6%, while two rarer species were also found.
