Wasp mothers have super memories scientists say

Wasps often get a bit of a bad reputation due to their buzzing and painful stings.

However, new research suggests there might be much more to these insects than was previously thought.

According to scientists, wasp mothers have a surprisingly good memory when it comes to feeding their young.

A new study has found that they can remember the locations of up to nine separate nests of theirs at once - despite them usually being located among hundreds of others.

What did experts discover?

Researchers from the University of Exeter decided to take a closer look at the behaviour of digger wasp mothers who live on heathland in Surrey in southern England.

Digger wasps usually make a short burrow for each of their eggs, stocking it with food and returning a few days later to provide more.

Scientists were surprised to find that even though the insects are so small, they could still remember the locations of up to nine separate nests at once, rarely making any mistakes.

This is despite the fact nests are dug in bare sand containing hundreds belonging to other females.

Professor Jeremy Field, from the University of Exeter explained: "Our findings suggest that the miniature brain of an insect is capable of remarkably sophisticated scheduling decisions.

"We tend to think that something so small couldn't do something so complex," he added.

Previous research has showed digger wasps use visual objects such as stones to find their nests, but experts are unsure exactly how they have such impressive brainpower.

"We don't yet know how wasps achieve these remarkable mental feats," Professor Field said.