Thuringia: high season for wasps: colonies die in autumn

They are sometimes annoying, for some really dangerous: wasps.

Thuringia: high season for wasps: colonies die in autumn

They are sometimes annoying, for some really dangerous: wasps. And above all, they are protected.

Jena (dpa/th) - The wasps are currently in high season in Thuringia. According to the Nabu Nature Conservation Union, the colonies reach their zenith in the second half of August before collapsing in autumn.

According to Nabu, clear regional differences can be observed in the occurrence of the animals. Although many young queens could have founded new wasp colonies in the spring, the size of the colonies depends on the availability of food and the weather. Where it was wetter, the colonies remained small, while drought offered good conditions for the development of a wasp colony.

However, weather that is too dry can also lead to problems when looking for food: wasps mainly feed on insects, but these are rare when it is dry. Wasps fly faster in warm and dry weather than in wet and cold weather. But that doesn't mean they're aggressive.

According to Nabu, of the native species, people are usually only disturbed by the German and common wasps. The workers of these two species can often be found at the dining table. They snack on sweet things like orange juice as "fuel" to fly and hearty things like ham as food for the young. "With wasps at the table, the most important thing is to keep calm: don't hit, blow away or breathe on wasps," advised Nabu.

Like all wild animals, wasps are protected. You must not be wantonly alarmed, trapped, injured or killed. Their nests must not be destroyed either. Violations can be punished with a fine of up to 50,000 euros.