There they are again: Why are wasps so aggressive in midsummer?

Many people don't like wasps, but for most of the year the animals give us little cause for concern.

There they are again: Why are wasps so aggressive in midsummer?

Many people don't like wasps, but for most of the year the animals give us little cause for concern. But then, suddenly in midsummer, they become what feels like a pain in the ass. Why?

Are you also noticing more wasps wanting your ice cream, cake and drinks? And when confronted, they stab. The animals don't do this because they want to annoy us. On the contrary: the wasp often feels threatened by us and they just want to survive.

An overview of why wasps are so aggressive now - and what we can do to live in peaceful and pain-free harmony:

Why are there suddenly more wasps now?

First of all, it's very simple: In the summer, the nest has reached its full extent. So there are now more animals that we perceive. The search for food is also changing.

Until late summer, the main focus in the nest is on raising offspring, for which the animals need protein. Then, when the brood is independent, the animals fly out to forage for themselves - and that is mainly sugar. So the cake on our terrace table, the ice cream in the children's hands and so on.

Are wasps aggressive animals?

no According to the State Association for Bird Protection in Bavaria (LBV), they are not aggressive outside the area around their nest. And they only sting when they feel attacked. But we humans trigger this feeling fairly quickly with the black and yellow insects. For example, through a popular defensive measure, which has exactly the opposite effect: It's about blowing on the animals. The carbon dioxide in the air we breathe puts wasps in an aggressive mood. The same happens when we hit them or corner them - understandable, if you put yourself in the position of the small animals confronted with a large human being.

By the way: according to the German Nature Conservation Union (NABU), human sweating can also trigger animal attacks. Easier said than done, of course, to suppress your own fear. But perhaps it helps to clarify that the animals do feel fear of the. So the best behavior is to remain calm when wasps are buzzing around you. Don't move frantically. It also helps to look where the animal wants to fly. The LBV advises not to change the main flight direction any longer.

And the animal experts have another tip if the number of wasps gets out of hand at a barbecue or cake and ice cream: spray water with an atomizer. Then the animals retreat to their nest because they think it is raining. This should only be done with bottles that really have no residue of cleaning products or other irritating liquids. Otherwise it could harm the animals.

But I'm scared of animals. What can I do to prevent them from approaching me?

It is best not to offer them anything enticing. So better cover juice glasses and food and put them back in the house immediately after eating. And wipe children's mouths directly after drinking and eating. The experts from LBV and NABU also advise avoiding perfume, because the scent also attracts wasps. This also applies to floral patterns on clothing.

If you have fallen fruit in your garden, you should clear it away. Here you can also do something good for the wasps without suffering yourself: If you put the fallen fruit in a separate place that is not used much, wasps can cover their energy needs with the sweet fruit juice and people don't have to worry about hitting a wasp on the ground to step.

This form of distraction feeding can also help with moody rounds in the garden with delicious food. In an experiment for "Jugend forscht", schoolgirls found out that overripe grapes are best for this, reports NABU. If you put the fruit five to ten meters away, the wasps are more likely to be drawn there than to the dining table or buffet. And of course: leave the wasp nests alone.

I don't want their nests near my house. What can I do?

Wasps are protected by the Federal Nature Conservation Act, and some species such as hornets are even under special protection. The following applies to all of them: they must not be deliberately disturbed, caught, injured or killed, and their nests must not be removed just like that. If you want to have a wasp nest removed from your home, you need a permit. The nature conservation authorities are usually responsible, but sometimes also the district office or the city administration. Pest consultants help as the first point of contact.

But there is good news: you can just wait a little longer. Soon the entire colony gradually leaves the burrow and almost all the animals die. According to the Federal Environment Agency, abandoned nests are no longer populated. Most wasp species have already disappeared by the end of August, and the food-loving wasps can still be seen well into autumn.

How do I recognize a wasp?

If you're unsure who you're looking at, wasps are easy to recognize - by the well-known wasp waist. There is a kind of incision between the middle part of the body and the abdomen. And then of course there is the typical black and yellow coloring.

There are eight species native to Germany. But we will only notice two in our food: The German wasp can be recognized by a yellow spot with three black dots between its eyes. The common wasp, also known as the common wasp, has an anchor-shaped spot at this point.

By the way, one species of wasp is the hornet, but you can stay relaxed with it. According to the LBV, they are basically peaceful animals that flee rather than attack us. In addition to the stripe pattern in yellow and black, it has reddish-brown areas on the head and in the middle of the body and is significantly larger than other wasps.

For comparison: In addition to the striped dress, honey bees have a brownish abdomen, are rounder and have more hair. And if they get stung, they lose their sting, wasps don't.

Bumblebees are bees, so they can sting too. The comparatively thick buzzers have even more fur than the other bees. And they look cozy when they buzz around. They are not interested in food but seek nectar.

Hoverflies only appear to be wasps - and are completely harmless. They can't even sting. Her black and yellow dress is pure camouflage. The adult animals feed on nectar and pollen. The best way to recognize them is in flight: they can hover still in the air like hummingbirds and then dart forward or backward in a flash. And anyone who manages to look at them from up close while standing still will recognize that hoverflies, like fly species, only have two fully developed wings - bees and wasps have four.

(This article was first published on Tuesday, August 09, 2022.)