Social Wasps: Cresskill, New Jersey Hank Pym

The "Winsome Wasp" depicted by John Buscema as a 1960s glamor girl
Janet van Dyne was born in Cresskill, New Jersey, the socialite daughter of wealthy scientist
Vernon van Dyne. When her father is killed by an alien entity unleashed during one of his
experiments, Janet turns to his associate Dr. Hank Pym for aid and convinces him to help her. In
order to avenge her father's death, she undergoes a biochemical procedure that grants her the
ability to grow wings upon shrinking under four feet tall and uses a supply of "Pym particles" by
which to change her size. Together, she and Ant-Man defeat the alien and avenge her father.
Janet decides to remain as Wasp and be Hank's partner as she has fallen in love with him,
though Hank initially rejects her feelings due to the similarities between her and his first wife that
had been murdered.[6]
During her time as Hank's partner, she took part in numerous conflicts with villains who included
the Porcupine, Egghead, and Whirlwind (then known as the Human Top). Though initially without
any offensive powers, Janet proves to be resourceful, using her ability to communicate with
insects to fight, as well as using a pin to poke people as means of a weapon. Later, she uses a
miniature air gun, the original wasp's sting.[7]
After the initial confrontation with Loki that brought together the founding Avengers, it is Janet
and Hank who propose forming a team of superheroes. Janet suggests the name for the team
and becomes a founding member.[8] Never lacking confidence or bravery and by nature an
outgoing personality, Janet is always in the thick of battles with villains, who include Norse gods
and aliens, despite being the most underpowered member of the team. Janet frequently
comments on the attractiveness of her male colleagues, especially Thor, in order to provoke
jealousy from Hank and get him to commit to a relationship. Early on in her Avengers career, she
is seriously wounded by a stray bullet in battle against Count Nefaria, and nearly dies from a
collapsed lung.[9] She leaves the team several issues later. [10] When she returns in Avengers vol. 1
#26, her shrinking powers have progressed to the point where she no longer needs Pym particle
capsules to change her size.
Social wasps
Social wasps constructing a paper nest
Of the dozens of extant wasp families, only the family Vespidae contains social species, primarily
in the subfamilies Vespinae and Polistinae. With their powerful stings and conspicuous warning
coloration, often in black and yellow, social wasps are frequent models for Batesian mimicry by
non-stinging insects, and are themselves involved in mutually beneficial Müllerian mimicry of
other distasteful insects including bees and other wasps. All species of social wasps construct
their nests using some form of plant fiber (mostly wood pulp) as the primary material, though this
can be supplemented with mud, plant secretions (e.g., resin), and secretions from the wasps
themselves; multiple fibrous brood cells are constructed, arranged in a honeycombed pattern,
and often surrounded by a larger protective envelope. Wood fibers are gathered from weathered
wood, softened by chewing and mixing with saliva. The placement of nests varies from group to
group; yellow jackets such as Dolichovespula media and D. sylvestris prefer to nest in trees and
shrubs; Protopolybia exigua attaches its nests on the underside of leaves and branches; Polistes
erythrocephalus chooses sites close to a water source.[22]
Other wasps, like Agelaia multipicta and Vespula germanica, like to nest in cavities that include
holes in the ground, spaces under homes, wall cavities or in lofts. While most species of wasps
have nests with multiple combs, some species, such as Apoica flavissima, only have one comb.
[23]
The length of the reproductive cycle depends on latitude; Polistes erythrocephalus, for
example, has a much longer (up to 3 months longer) cycle in temperate regions. [24]
Solitary wasps
Potter wasp building mud nest, France. The latest ring of mud is still wet.
The vast majority of wasp species are solitary insects.[10][25] Having mated, the adult female
forages alone and if it builds a nest, does so for the benefit of its own offspring. Some solitary
wasps nest in small groups alongside others of their species, but each is involved in caring for its
own offspring (except for such actions as stealing other wasps’ prey or laying in other wasp's
nests). There are some species of solitary wasp that build communal nests, each insect having
its own cell and providing food for its own offspring, but these wasps do not adopt the division of
labour and the complex behavioural patterns adopted by eusocial species.[25]
Adult solitary wasps spend most of their time in preparing their nests and foraging for food for
their young, mostly insects or spiders. Their nesting habits are more diverse than those of social
wasps. Many species dig burrows in the ground. [25] Mud daubers and pollen wasps construct mud
cells in sheltered places.[26] Potter wasps similarly build vase-like nests from mud, often with
multiple cells, attached to the twigs of trees or against walls. [27]
Predatory wasp species normally subdue their prey by stinging it, and then either lay their eggs
on it, leaving it in place, or carry it back to their nest where an egg may be laid on the prey item
and the nest sealed, or several smaller prey items may be deposited to feed a single developing
larva. Apart from providing food for their offspring, no further maternal care is given. Members of
the family Chrysididae, the cuckoo wasps, are kleptoparasites and lay their eggs in the nests of
unrelated host species.[25]

Social Wasps: Cresskill, New Jersey Hank Pym

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Social Wasps: Cresskill, New Jersey Hank Pym

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Social Wasps: Cresskill, New Jersey Hank Pym

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

The "Winsome Wasp" depicted by John Buscema as a 1960s glamor girl

You might also like