Summer could be so beautiful if we weren't constantly besieged by wasps. We have 3 tips for you on how to deal with wasps.
Sit comfortably on the terrace in summer and eat a piece of cake in peace? A nice idea, but unfortunately the wasps keep putting a spanner in the works during this time. Not only are the wasps keen on our cakes, they're also buzzing around us all the time. In such a situation, many people panic and lash out wildly for fear of being bitten.
But wasps are not as aggressive as most people think. The wasps, of which 16 species are represented in Germany, owe this reputation solely to the German wasp and the common wasp. It is these two species that regularly come too close to us in summer and are after our food. However, they do not pose any real danger, because they really only sting when they feel threatened. And if a sting does happen, it is usually harmless to us humans.
By the way: The hornet is a lot bigger, but it is also a wasp. Unlike the two species mentioned above, however, it largely avoids humans.
Lifestyle of German and common wasps
The two wasp species that bother us regularly while eating actually don't mean us any harm. In order for you to understand this better, we first explain the lifestyle of the two wasp species.
» Nest
In April the hibernation of the queens ends and they start looking for a suitable place for their nest. Once this location has been found, they begin to build the honeycomb in which they lay an egg. The queens take care of the brood themselves until they have raised enough workers to take on further nest work and brood care. Then just lay the eggs and rest otherwise.
Both wasp species have a nest size of up to 7,000 or 10,000 animals and build their nests mainly underground - for example in mole burrows. They can also build their nests under roofs, in roller shutter boxes or in cracks and niches in the house. These nests are inusually not hanging freely.» Nutrition
In order for the larvae to develop well, they need animal protein, which they get from insects and dead animals. The adult wasps, on the other hand, feed on the honeydew of the aphids in addition to tree, plant and fruit juices. The carbohydrates they contain provide them with the energy they need to build their nest and take care of the brood.
The rearing of the new queens and males begins in late summer. These larvae need a lot of food, so the workers have to gather even more. At the same time, their own energy requirements are also increasing. However, since they can find less nectar and plant juices from August onwards, they are increasingly looking for food with us. Then they eat cakes, soft drinks and meat to cover their energy needs.
By the way: Once the queens and males have hatched, they mate. Only the fertilized females survive the winter in a cold torpor. All other wasps - including the old queen - die.
Protection against wasps and wasp stings: 3 tips
Wasps also like to get lost in houses or apartments in search of food. To prevent this, you can put fly screens on the windows and equip the doors with vertical blinds or fly screen doors. If you also want to be safe from wasps in the garden, you can take a few precautions here as well.
» Tip 1: Avoid nesting materials and potential nest sites!
As mentioned above, the queens start building their nests in April. They also use rotten wood, for example. One way to keep wasps out of your garden is to remove rotten wood in the spring. You can also seal niches, cracks and gaps in your house so that it cannot build a nest there.
» Tip 2: Eliminate potential food sources!
Later, the wasps will be drawn to your garden in search of food. Here you can do all kinds of things to ensure that not so many wasps get lost in your garden. You need to know that wasps look for food by smell. Here you can take the following actions:
- Always put food and drinks on the table immediately before consumption and then clear them away immediately afterwards. Don't forget to wipe down the table as well.
- Don't leave sugary drinks by the glass. This is extremely important, especially with bottles and cans, because herewasps could get into the drink unnoticed!
- It is particularly important for children to clean their mouth and hands thoroughly after eating and drinking.
- Remove fallen fruit and rotten fruit from your garden as soon as possible. The same applies to any animal carcasses - such as a mouse killed by your cat but not eaten.
Tip: Even sweet perfume can attract wasps. Better not to use it.
Tip 3: Don't make the wasps aggressive!
If wasps have strayed into your garden despite the preventive measures, it is important that you behave correctly. The wasps don't come with the intention of stinging you! So just keep calm and wait for the wasp to go away on its own. However, if you make frantic movements or try to blow the wasp away, it will feel threatened and will defend itself if necessary.
Don't panic and kill the wasp. On the one hand, they are under nature protection and on the other hand, there is an enormous bond between wasps. When you kill a wasp, it releases a hormone that attracts more wasps. They might attack you.
If you encounter a wasp nest, extreme caution is required. Because the wasps will defend your nest. Keep calm here too and avoid hectic movements. You should also
- do not block the trajectory unnecessarily long!
- Avoid strong vibrations!
- don't poke around in the wasp's nest!