You're gonna need a bigger TGIF

Jul 26, 2013 07:18

I guess these are turning into a monthly thing? I've been getting a lot of Fridays off work idk man ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

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blamebrampton July 26 2013, 11:36:51 UTC
But wasps are essential pollinators, without which we would lose thousands of plant species, and spiders are friendly and sometimes furry and soft!

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furiosity July 26 2013, 11:41:06 UTC
Um no, wasps are predatory carnivores; their pollination contribution to the ecosystem is negligible.

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blamebrampton July 26 2013, 12:00:12 UTC
Not so! They are essential to the wide success of figs, especially for the edible varities, and are a key pollination vector in several orchid species and a great many wildflowers, particularly in the Americas. Recent research has also confirmed that they are highly under-appreciated as generalised pollen carriers and there are some suggestions they may be taking up some of the slack from the downturn in bee species across much of the world, though this is mostly anecdotal at this time. I can supply links if science will sway you in your anti-waspness.

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furiosity July 26 2013, 12:09:18 UTC
But their main food source is other insects; generally speaking their pollination is a side effect/fringe benefit and they can be replaced with honeybees and butterflies.

Obviously the answer is breed moar varieties of bees and bumblebees that won't randomly drop dead like the honeybees have been; they are fuzzy and not MADE OF HATRED like wasps are.

(But okay, wild wasps who nest away from human settlements can stay. Yellowjackets who nest in/near houses and eat people food can all drop dead i don't actually give a shit if that means fewer orchids. :D)

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blamebrampton July 26 2013, 12:15:02 UTC
To be fair, adult wasps are mostly vegetarian, it's the larvae who eat insects and who the adult wasps hunt for.

So what we've uncovered here is: f hates wasp babies!

I can see that, they're pretty ugly.

And I will grant you that Yellowjackets have the utterly useless combination of being super stingy and super stupid, which is so not what you want in an insect that invades urban areas. We're lucky here: all fig wasps and paper wasps, which are both more placid and more intelligent. I've had a few trapped inside the house that have let me help them escape and understood by my movements that I was no threat to them, but rather a help. Much better neighbours!

Is there any good reason for cockroaches?

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furiosity July 26 2013, 12:21:52 UTC
I do know that so yes, I hate wasp babies even more than human babies and that's saying something! >_>

Yeah I've never encountered an intelligent wasp yet in my life; I'm sure my anti-wasp prejudice would be tempered if I'd ever had an opportunity to live near wasps who don't try to sting the fuck out of you if you breathe in the wrong direction. But the only kind of wasps I'm familiar with are yellowjackets and super-sized Japanese hornets who are aggressive as fuck and also deadly.

Haha I'm not sure if there's any good reason for cockroaches but I'm pretty sure we're stuck with them as they won't die even if you try to kill them. D:

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