Thread: Concerning wasp venom.

Would anyone on this board happen to know how wasp venom--both of social and solitary wasps--was (and is?) collected? I know that at one point in the past, there was a need for wasp venom and people were payed to collect it in the field, so I know that it has successfully been done before.

Also, does anyone know the proper way to store wasp venom? I know it has something to do with low temperatures...

I am aware of the risks of collecting wasp venom. I am not allergic to wasps and know that they do sting. I also know that, if I want to keep a wasp for longer than a few minutes I should refridgerate it (and this may not be a bad idea in all cases so that the wasp doesn't come after me immediately once they are released).

Thank you.

-Ajain

im afraid i dont have an answer.

i would be interested in what your collecting it for? you have me curious now, pray - do tell?

I'm interested as well. I'm not on top of my wasp anatomy like I should be, but I wonder if you could do something similar to what is done when snakes are "milked" for venom. The trick would simply be having something the wasps would sting readily.

If I get time, I'll look into it a bit, simply because I'm interested. Where are you located so I can see what type of wasp you're interested in?

My interest in wasp venom collection is designing an experiment. I would, in all likelihood, not be collecting wasp venom. The reason for the disclaimer is that the only other place I saw a similar question asked, there were no useful replies but a lot of people saying "I don't suggest it!" :-D

I live near the Great Lakes. We have the generic hornet, the paper wasp, a few digging solitary wasps, and a number of wasps in wasp blocks in my backyard. I just realized a few days ago that the hornets nest outside of my window was abandoned. Oh well.

Thanks for your interest.

-Ajain