Wasp Tattoos: Symbolism, Meanings & More

Wasp Tattoos: Symbolism, Meanings & More

The wasp tattoo isn’t very common, but when you see it you know it isn’t a random idea. No, people choose it for a reason. 

They can mean different things to different people, but unless you look into the symbolism you probably think they’re just aggressive and unappealing. 

Subverting this idea is one good reason to go for this tattoo, cause let’s face it they are pretty cool animal creatures. 

Origin of the wasp tattoo 

It’s not hard to see why this tattoo makes for a popular tattoo image and symbol. They are bright, dangerous, and lively. But what do they really mean? 

Wasps have been used as symbols for a long time, right back to the ancient totems of the Native American traditions and likely before then too. 

The Native Americans used “spirit animals” as totems linking a person to the animal for protection and symbolism. No wonder they make for wild tattoos.  

Wasps have several symbolic meanings depending on who you ask, but in general, they stand for action and progress. They are not about wishing and dreaming. 

@martinkellytattoo

Meaning of the wasp tattoo

When a wasp enters your life in a symbolic way such as landing on you at a significant moment without any aggression, it’s time to mark the occasion with a tattoo. 

But what will that tattoo mean when the ink is dry? 

First of all, when they enter your life it means that everything happens for a reason. [They are creatures of chaos and order. 

On the point of order, this tattoo can also stand for having control over your life and tour circumstances. That might be something you have or something you want. 

Some other wasp symbolism is outlined below. 

Independence 

These creatures are fiercely independent animals. Although they live in a hive and communicate with sounds and movement they also spend a lot of time roaming the outdoors. 

Wasps spend a lot of their time hovering around the garden or fields looking for orchids to feed on. They drink the nectar. 

As well as eating from the flowers they help cross-pollinate them as they move around but unlike bees, they don’t collect pollen. 

If you want to resonate with the independent spirit of a wasp you can with a wasp tattoo. It shows you are strong-willed and single-minded.  

@picsola

Structure 

Wasps are chaotic animals. You only have to watch The way they dance around in the air and seem a bit directionless. 

At the same time, these luminous striped animals lead a very structured existence. They work collectively with other wasps to build hives and colonies. 

As well as the independent spirit they possess they also symbolize structure and order. Think of their hives and their intricate systems of communication and architecture. 

If the structure is something that defines you then this tattoo is the ideal badge to display that aspect of your personality. Conversely, it can be an aspirational call to action. 

Get more structure in your life. 

@jonnimalkovich

Protection 

Some people love them and some people hate them. Most people distrust them a little because they do have the mighty sting. 

But in most cases, a wasp won’t use its sting unless you provoke it or it is protecting itself or its queen. 

And when you feel protective of someone or something in the world it does feel as though you have a sting in your tail that you will use when you are provoked. 

For these reasons, wasps are an excellent symbol of protection and wonderful tattoos if you want to present this aspect of your life or personality to the world.  

@garczynart_ama_gi_tattoo

The soul 

Perhaps something you didn’t know about wasps is that they will always find their way home to the hive no matter how far away they travel. 

For this reason, they have acquired a spiritual dimension and relate symbolically to the soul. 

Interpretations of the soul differ between cultures and individuals but there is something transitory about it and grounding. 

For spiritual people who believe in the transmigration of the soul the wasp makes the perfect symbol, it flies off in a mysterious direction and somehow finds its way home.  

@hyrokintattoo

Who is it for? 

According to recent scientific theories, men and women are more similar than they are different. It’s like a bell curve with some extremes but most people are in the middle somewhere. 

Still, there are notable differences in biology, personality, and tattoo sensibilities. According to one study men are more likely to go for full sleeves and half sleeves, while women prefer the hip, foot, back, and ankle tattoos. 

When it comes to wasp tattoos though, gender makes no difference. It’s not as if a wasp is an inherently masculine or feminine tattoo – although it can be made into either depending on the design. 

Areas of the body 

A wasp tattoo can be made small, medium, or large, but based on the type of animals and the styles of tattoos you might choose, small and medium ones are more popular. 

With this in mind, you will probably choose an area of the body that gives you visibility without any excessive pain. The high pain areas include the face and neck, the underarms, the forearms and hands, the feet and thighs. 

Good news: that leaves plenty of space for wasp tattoos on the forearms, the chest, the back, the thighs and calves. But watch out, these tattoos also carry a needle sting. 

Alternative styles 

The style of your tattoo depends on your sensibility and your idea for the tattoo. If you think of the wasp as a symbol of protection you might want something angular and fighty. 

On the other hand, if your tattoo is meant to denote a spiritual dimension you might want a more abstract style with geometrical shapes and patterns – this works well with wasp images. 

Alternatively, you could go for the realist wasp tattoo that looks sketchy and flighty. These also world well and look pretty good on men and women with different ideas for what their tattoo symbolizes.

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