Wasp and bees Reading Answers

Aug 3, 2024

Wasp and bees Reading Answers is an academic reading answers topic. Wasp and bees Reading Answers have a total of 13 IELTS questions in total. In the questions, you have to choose the correct section for the given statement. In the next section, you have to fill in the blanks with the correct answer.

Candidates should read the IELTS Reading passage thoroughly to recognize synonyms, identify keywords, and answer the questions below. IELTS Reading practice papers, which feature topics such as Wasp and bees Reading Answers. Candidates can use IELTS reading practice questions and answers to enhance their performance in the reading section.

Section 1

WASPS AND BEES

Most of the 20,000 species of wasps are solitary, but because solitary wasps do not sting, most humans are more familiar with social wasps, which live in complex communities, than their solitary cousins. Though very few social wasps, such as paper wasps, mud daubers yellow jackets, hornets, and umbrella wasps, create homes near human dwellings, all wasps play vital roles in ecosystems. Wasps are classified in the same insect order (Hymenoptera) as bees, so it's not surprising that people often mistake common wasps like yellow jackets, which have fuzzy yellow and black-striped bodies, for bees. Wasps are the pinnacle of animal architects. They construct hanging nests (hives) from structures or build subterranean combs or ground nests. When wasps build hives, they don't re-use them from yea to year, because they disintegrate over the winter. Ground nests, on the other hand, are extremely durable. One type of wasp in South America builds such resilient structures that ground nests from the 1700s are still intact today. Yellow jackets are social wasps and generally nest in the ground, but they will occasionally nest in hollow logs and cinderblock fences. Their nests are made into thousands of cells from masticated wood pulp and leaf litter. Around 900 species of the world's social wasps live in highly organized societies consisting almost entirely of females. A single female yellow jacket begins a new colony each spring

During the summer, worker wasps emerge, and the colony begins to grow to as large as 25,000 individuals. This is usually when the nest becomes noticeable to humans. But in the fall, colonies will begin to decline as the male workers die and the queens leave their nests to search for places to hibernate, such as under loose bark or in decaying stumps. Yellow jackets and wasps are elaborate and fascinating social insects who communicate with each other through the complex use of chemicals known as pheromones. Wasps and other insects use different hormones produced in their bodies to signal where food can be found or to alert the colony about the presence of an intruder. For example, when a wasp stings a human approaching a nest, the small insect simultaneously emits a chemical that signals the rest of the colony to attack. Only female bees and wasps can sting. Males do not have the egg-laying ovipositor that is modified into a stinger on female insects. Unlike bees, these female wasps have the ability to sting a target multiple times because their stinger does not fall off after use.

If yellow jackets seem more aggressive than bees or hornets, it's for a good reason. They are the only wasps in North America who produce a large amount of offspring. Because of this, their nests offer a great nutrient jackpot to predators like raccoons, skunks, and bears causing these wasps to selflessly defend their families. Yellow jackets will not sting a person at rest if they have not been disturbed by some agitation of their nest or threatened by swatting or other quick movement of the arms or legs. They may land on your skin to inspect a smell or get water, but they will leave if you stay calm and do not move quickly. Because of the beneficial predatory role that wasps play in suppressing a wide variety of insects, your objective should be to reduce encounters with these animals, not to eliminate them from the area entirely. Wasps eat ticks and feed their young with other insects such as houseflies and blowflies. They also pollinate crops such as melons and spinach. In order to remove an active nest, you should simply wait for the queen to vacate the nest and ther fill the remaining hole with soil to keep another queen from occupying the same gallery the following spring- To avoid contact with wasps, never work in the yard or garden wearing yellow or white, since these colors attract insects. Many insects cannot see red, making it a good color to wear when working in the yard. You should also minimize olfactory enticements such as perfumes, colognes, hair sprays, and other fragrances, and by all means, never walk barefoot. Don't leave outside lights on any longer than you have to at night, since this attracts insects and everything that eats them. You should also avoid squashing a wasp the actior causes the wasp's dead body to release a chemical alarm that signals other wasps in the area to attack. Avoid sugar and meat snacks especially in open containers, and keep garbage cans well sealed and as clean as possible. Companion animals should be fed indoors or on screened porches. If you have playground equipment, make sure you plug the ends of the pipes to prevent wasps from settling in them

Removal or relocations by live trapping should always be a last resort. Solitary wasps can be effectively removed one by one by catching them in a jar and releasing them. But since solitary wasps do not sting, it is probably best to leave them alone. Communal wasp colonies easily maintain and reproduce their population, so removing individuals will not effectively reduce their numbers. The whole community must be removed at once, which can be a dangerous task, so it's far better to leave the wasps alone during the problem season, and then seal up the points of entry during the fall or winter. If a wasp enters your moving car, pull over to the side of the road and stop if possible. Open the car windows or doors and wait for the insect to leave. If the wasp is moving slowly, deliberately guide the animal or of the vehicle with a of paper.

Questions 27-30

In boxes 27-30 on your answer sheet, write any four letters A-G.

What should not be done for avoiding WASP stings?

A. Wearing colors that are invisible to wasp

B. Wearing perfumes and deodorant

C. Avoiding sugar and meat snacks in the open

D. Using no footwear

E. Use of their predators

F. Covering open pipes or cylindrical shaped Shelters

G. Crushing of a dead WASP

Q.27

Answer: B

Supporting statement: “........You should also minimize olfactory enticements such as perfumes, colognes, hair sprays, and other fragrances..........”

Keywords: perfumes, deodorant

Keyword Location: para 4, line 8

Explanation: The text advises minimizing olfactory enticements like perfumes and other fragrances. This implies that wearing perfumes and deodorants can attract wasps due to their strong scents. Wasps are drawn to these smells, increasing the likelihood of stings. By avoiding these fragrances, the risk of attracting and subsequently getting stung by wasps is reduced.

Q.28

Answer: D

Supporting statement: “........by all means, never walk barefoot. Don't leave outside lights on any longer than you have to at night, since this attracts insects and everything ..........”

Keywords: footwear, barefoot

Keyword Location: para 4, line 9

Explanation: Walking barefoot is specifically discouraged because it can lead to accidental encounters with wasps, potentially provoking them to sting. When a person walks barefoot, they are at risk of stepping on a wasp, which would defend itself by stinging.

Q.29

Answer: E

Supporting statement: “........Yellow jackets will not sting a person at rest if they have not been disturbed by some agitation of their nest or threatened by swatting or other quick movement of the arms or legs...........”

Keywords: predators, threatened

Keyword Location: para 3, line 6

Explanation: he passage mentions that yellow jackets and other wasps are provoked to sting when their nest is agitated or they feel threatened. Introducing predators would naturally agitate the wasps, causing them to become defensive and more likely to sting.

Q.30

Answer: G

Supporting statement: “........Avoid squashing a wasp; the action causes the wasp's dead body to release a chemical alarm that signals other wasps in the area to attack..........”

Keywords: crushing, dead

Keyword Location: para 4, lines 11-12

Explanation: Crushing a wasp releases an alarm pheromone, a chemical signal that alerts other wasps to danger and prompts them to attack. This response is a defense mechanism to protect the colony.

Questions 31-33

Do the following statements agree with the

information given in the text? In boxes 31-33 on your answer sheet, write

TRUE - If the statement agrees with the Information.

FALSE - if the statement contradicts the information.

NOT GIVEN - if there is no information on this.

31. Social wasps sting more to humans.

Answer: TRUE

Supporting statement: “........When a wasp stings a human approaching a nest, the small insect simultaneously emits a chemical that signals the rest of the colony to attack..........”

Keywords: sting, humans

Keyword Location: para 2, lines 11-12

Explanation: The passage explains that social wasps, such as yellow jackets, have a defense mechanism where a single sting releases a chemical signal to the colony, prompting a coordinated attack.

32. It is always easy to recognize bees.

Answer: FALSE

Supporting statement: “........people often mistake common wasps like yellow jackets, which have fuzzy yellow and black-striped bodies, for bees..........”

Keywords: recognize, bees

Keyword Location: para 1, lines 7-8

Explanation: The text states that yellow jackets, which are a type of wasp, are often mistaken for bees due to their similar appearance. This indicates that it is not always easy to recognize bees because their appearance can closely resemble certain wasps.

33. The underground dwellings of wasps are more resilient than the arboreal dwellings.

Answer: TRUE

Supporting statement: “.........Ground nests, on the other hand, are extremely durable. One type of wasp in South America builds such resilient structures that ground nests from the 1700s are still intact today.........”

Keywords: dwellings, resilient

Keyword Location: para 1, lines 12-13

Explanation: The passage describes how ground nests of wasps are extremely durable, with some structures remaining intact for centuries. This durability contrasts with the arboreal (hanging) nests, which are not reused and disintegrate over the winter.

Questions 34-40

Do the following statements agree with the information given in the text?

In boxes 31-33 on your answer sheet, write

TRUE - if the statement agrees with the information.

FALSE - if the statement contradicts the information.

NOT GIVEN - if there is no information on this.

34. The population of social wasps includes male and female in equal number.

Answer: FALSE

Supporting statement: “.........Around 900 species of the world's social wasps live in highly organized societies consisting almost entirely of females.........”

Keywords: wasps, females

Keyword Location: para 1, lines 15-16

Explanation: The text explicitly states that the societies of social wasps consist almost entirely of females. This indicates a significant imbalance in the gender ratio, with females being predominant.

35. Social Wasps are more dangerous than bees.

Answer: TRUE

Supporting statement: “........Unlike bees, these female wasps have the ability to sting a target multiple times because their stinger does not fall off after use..........”

Keywords: multiple times

Keyword Location: para 2, lines 13-15

Explanation: The passage explains that female wasps can sting multiple times because their stinger does not detach after use, unlike bees whose stingers do fall off. This ability to sting repeatedly makes social wasps potentially more dangerous than bees, as they can inflict multiple stings in a short period.

36. Social Wasps are beneficial to humans.

Answer: TRUE

Supporting statement: “........Wasps eat ticks and feed their young with other insects such as houseflies and blowflies. They also pollinate crops such as melons and spinach..........”

Keywords: beneficial, humans

Keyword Location: para 3, lines 14-16

Explanation: The passage highlights the ecological benefits of wasps, including their role in controlling pest populations by eating ticks and other insects. Additionally, wasps contribute to pollination, which is vital for crops like melons and spinach.

37. Wax is used to make the nest of yellow jackets.

Answer: NOT GIVEN

Explanation: The text does not provide any information regarding the use of wax in the construction of yellow jacket nests.

38. All the members of wasp population die during autumn.

Answer: FALSE

Supporting statement: “........In the fall, colonies will begin to decline as the male workers die and the queens leave their nests to search for places to hibernate, such as under loose bark or in decaying stumps...........”

Answer: die, autumn

Keyword Location: para 2, lines 7-9

Explanation: The passage states that while male workers die in the fall, the queens survive by leaving the nests and searching for hibernation spots. This indicates that not all members of the wasp population die during autumn.

39. Pheromones are the prominent communication chemical used by all insects.

Answer: FALSE

Supporting statement: “.........Wasps and other insects use different hormones produced in their bodies to signal where food can be found or to alert the colony about the presence of an intruder..........”

Keywords: pheromones, all insects

Keyword Location: para 2, lines 10-11

Explanation: The text mentions that wasps use pheromones for communication, but it also specifies that different insects use various hormones for signaling. Hence the statement is false.

40. Nutrition is prominently available in the nest of wasps which makes it common food with the predators.

Answer: TRUE

Supporting statement: “..........If yellow jackets seem more aggressive than bees or hornets, it's for a good reason. They are the only wasps in North America who produce a large amount of........”

Keywords: nutrition, nest

Keyword Location: para 3, lines 3-6

Explanation: The passage explains that yellow jacket nests are rich in nutrients because they produce a large number of offspring. This abundance of nutrients attracts predators, making the nests a valuable food source.

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