Why Do Wasps Swarm?
WouterDuring fall, when food is plentiful, wasps are more likely to be active. They may swarm and attack people if they feel threatened. But, only a few of them sting.
When a wasp stings, it emits a chemical signal that tells the rest of the colony to attack. But, only the female wasps can sting multiple times. The male wasps, on the other hand, die after mating.
When the weather is warmer, the queen wasp starts to come out of hibernation early. When winter is colder, she can starve to death if there aren’t enough food sources. The queen wasps form clusters around the queen.
In spring, the queen wasps form a nest and lay eggs. After the eggs hatch, the fertile female wasps become the next year’s queens. They continue to build the nest. They collect insects to feed the larvae. When the larvae grow, they eat carrion and nectar.
If the nest is disturbed, wasps may swarm in search of a new home. If you get too close to the nest, wasps may become aggressive. These swarms may cause serious injuries to people.
The most aggressive wasps sting multiple times. But, the solitary wasps can be helpful to gardeners. Usually, these insects do not sting when you are handling them roughly.
The swarming behavior of paper wasps is linked with mating. In autumn, paper wasps gather around tall structures and swarm. These swarms often appear on TV news cameras, banging around.
