Handfeeding a Wasp

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stephenbegin/5712872794/

I'm pretty sure you could do this with many bees or wasps as long as you are gentle and there is no hive nearby.

I used to feed yellow jackets cola off my fingers to lure them out of tents when I was camping. As long as you stay calm and offer them something they want (sugar!!) they don't freak out.

It's pretty easy to read hornet and wasp behavior. They lift their wings if they feel threatened. Move slow and don't swat at them, and you're gonna be okay (for the most part).

They're so cool.

It's not surprising. There was a guy (can't find any links to it, sorry) who once had a wasp nest built in his room, but the wasps that grew from the larvae were never bothered by him because they grew up with his smell and movement around them, so they didn't see him as a threat. He could even put his hand on the nest and brush the wasps about...however if someone else came into the room, you got one effective bugler alarm.

I love how it looks like it's not going to let go. Try arguing your way out of that one. Thanks for posting, that was cool.