Most people think of wasps as creatures like these that may sting when provoked. However, this type of wasp makes up only a small fraction of all the wasps in the world.

Most are actually parasitic on other insect, and do not sting. These parasitic wasps are typically thin and frail looking. They range in size from over an inch long like the caterpillar parasite, below left, to almost microscopic, like the egg parasite, below right.