Summer in Malta is a difficult time for nature. The high temperatures and lack of rainfall dry up all surface water and, except for a small number of springs, there are no natural aquatic habitats.

The only open water is found in man-made structures such as water features in public and private gardens. Very often these places are magnets for a variety of insects such as dragonflies and wasps.

Dragonflies hunt smaller insects that congregate near aquatic habitats. They also lay their eggs in water using a variety of methods to deposit their eggs.

Some release the eggs on to the water while flying like a bomber. Others land on a floating object and insert the eggs into vegetation.

Open water will not fail to attract paper wasps which can congregate in large numbers to drink and collect water. They use the water to manufacture the paper-like material that is used to build their nest. Paper wasps can land on the water and rest on the surface without drowning thanks to surface tension. Surface tension is caused by the force of the water molecules sticking to each other.

Many fear wasps because of their sting but wasps will only sting if they feel threatened

This force is stronger than the gravity which is pulling the wasp down.

This works because the weight of the wasp is spread over six legs each of which has a relatively large surface area (like snowshoes).

The pressure of the wasp on the water produces a small indentation on the water surface which changes the direction of the light. The effect of this can sometimes be seen in the wasp’s shadow.

Watching insects near water can be fascinating. Dragonfly behaviour including hunting, courtship, mating and egg-laying can provide hours of entertainment as is the coming and going of wasps at the water as they fly from the water to their nest and back.

Many fear wasps because of their sting but wasps will only sting if they feel threatened.

You can get very close to a drinking wasp without being stung as long as you do not touch it.

Water is so important for life that every Maltese garden should have a constant supply of water to help more animals, especially birds and insects, to survive this summer which is proving to be hotter than usual.

portelli.paul@gmail.com