What You Can Do To Make Wasps Less Annoying

It was the late summer of the wasps. Many of my friends, family and colleagues had their own story of hovering yellow jackets disrupting outdoor activities, including our EIC, who swallowed one after it took an ill-advised dive into her drink (it stung her twice on the way down); my son, who was stung mid-family photo on the top of a mountain in B.C.; and several dogs in our orbit who stepped on them.

So what is it about this time of year that equals hovering yellow jackets? How can humans coexist with wasps without getting stung? 

I asked Katie Marshall, an associate professor of comparative physiology and invertebrate specialist at UBC’s department of zoology, to give me a crash course in wasp behaviour and her best tips on how to avoid attack. Below, the buzz on this divisive insect. 

When we complain about “wasps,” what insect are we talking about?

We’re talking about yellow jackets, Marshall says—“the ones that are kind of stingy and super common right now.” She specifies that because there are thousands and thousands of species of wasps that are all “doing their own thing” unnoticed by humans, her answers pertain to yellow jackets. 

Why are wasps so prevalent in Canada right now?

Late summer and early fall sees wasp nests at their population peak, and the still-warm weather represents their last chance to get food before winter hits. “When we see them, it’s because they’re looking for food—in particular meat to feed the larva,” Marshall says. (When the weather cools a bit, wasps are more interested in mating, and don’t tend to interact with people.)

What can people do to peacefully coexist with wasps?

“My best and biggest suggestion,” Marshall says, is to buy a fake wasp nest and hang it near where you want to spend time outside. (You can find packs of two at places like Home Hardware, Canadian Tire or Rona for about $10). “Wasps tend to be really really territorial. So, if they see what looks like another wasp nest, they're going to avoid it.” You can also DIY one by hanging a brown paper bag stuffed with newspaper, though she says they may not be as effective as a purpose-bought fake nest. “They’re inexpensive, they’re non-toxic and they work well.” She also recommends covering food when you’re outside, if possible. 

A fake wasp nest can deter real wasps. (Photo: Canadian Tire)

Swatting wasps—yes or no? 

No, says Marshall. “Don’t wave [your arms] around them because that actually just agitates them—they get a little freaked out because there’s a big critter that’s swatting at them! If that were to happen to you or me, I think we would be a little bit agitated. And the same is true for wasps.” Instead, just let “them fly around and do their thing—you’re much less likely to be stung.”

Why do wasps sting?

Only female wasps sting. Female wasps are the workers, as with bees or wasps or ants, and most wasps in a nest tend to be females. “When they sting, it’s mostly defensive,” Marshall says, “they’re trying to keep us away from their nest or they’re trying to protect themselves.” And, unlike bees, who die if they sting, wasps can sting multiple times without dying. (They also sting when they’re hunting other insects or spiders.)

Are wasps attracted to food?

Yes. They’ve got a big nest, and a lot of mouths to feed. “I mean, just like you or I might be hungry at a picnic, so are the wasps.”

Does the TikTok idea of leaving out a can of tuna as an offering for wasps to draw them away from people hold merit?

Marshall says she hasn’t heard this idea, but leaving a can of tuna is just likely to draw more wasps. “I don’t think this would be the most effective method.” But if you want to try it, be her guest.  “It’s not toxic, and it’s not going to hurt anybody.” (Wasps, like people, are also really into protein.) 

What are the benefits of wasps? Are they pollinators?

“Traditionally,” Marshall says, “we have not really thought of wasps as important pollinators, but there is data coming out that suggests that they actually might have a really really important role depending on the time of year and depending on the species that is being pollinated.”

Wasps were long overlooked because, unlike bees, they don’t have hairs or a pollen basket (the golden bit on their legs) to trap pollen as they go from flower to flower. But Marshall points to a new paper, published this year, that found that wasps carried much more pollen than was originally believed. They also may play an important early-season role, pollinating an entirely different set of species than bees. 

Another benefit, she says, is that wasps help control a lot of pest species. “You can even buy tiny wasps to control clothing moths, which I think is just awesome!” Other species they target include lots of caterpillars and the invasive emerald ash borer, which has killed millions of trees across North America. They can be, she says, “a pesticide-free way of dealing with pest insects.”

Is there any time when you should call a pest control service? 

Yes, Marshall says—if you’ve got a nest on your property in a place where people are likely to be stung, or you’re dealing with wasp allergies, by all means call a pest control service. 

“For people with allergies, [wasps] can be really, really dangerous, and even if you don’t have an allergy lots of stings can make you quite sick. As much as I like to preach being peaceful with the wasps, if you do have a big wasp nest somewhere where people are going to be outside nearby, I do recommend trying to get it professionally removed. And don't do it yourself because it can be quite dangerous.”

Parting wasp thoughts?

“Wasps,” Marshall says, “have their own place in the ecosystem, just like we do.” When they’re around, try—as much as possible—to just stay calm. “Waving your hands is only going to increase the probability of getting stung.”