1. Unveiling people's aversion to wasps: the case of Polistes Latreille, 1802 (Hymenoptera, Vespidae) species in southwestern Iberia.
- Author
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MORA-RUBIO, CARLOS and LUIS PÉREZ-BOTE, JOSÉ
- Subjects
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SOCIAL perception , *VESPIDAE , *CITIES & towns , *SPRING , *WASPS - Abstract
Social wasps of the genus Polistes Latreille, 1802 abound in urban environments, where they use diverse anthropic structures to locate their colonies during the late spring and summer period. This direct contact with the population gives rise to a general feeling of fear or rejection towards these vespids due to the possibility of receiving stings. The aim of this study was to reveal the social perception towards these social wasps in a small urban area in the southwest of the Iberian Peninsula. The results showed that 90.44% of 272 respondents reported to have been stung by these species, of which more than 50% admit having suffered five or more attacks in their lifetime. The possible causes of these stings have been classified, as well as the type of reaction by the inhabitants towards the existence of wasps' nests in their domestic environment. Finally, it is important to mention that most of the respondents recognize the biological importance of these hymenopterans, despite the general fear they show towards them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024