Why are wasps so aggressive?

“Why are wasps always so angry? They never seem to leave me alone.”

Wasps aren't naturally out to get you — their aggression is almost entirely about one thing: protecting the nest. Social wasps like yellowjackets, hornets, and paper wasps live in large colonies, and when they sense a threat, they respond fast and in force. Unlike bees, wasps can sting repeatedly without losing their stinger, meaning a single disturbed nest can result in dozens of stings in a matter of seconds.

The most common triggers are getting too close to a nest, making sudden movements or swatting,  disturbing a hidden nest while gardening, or leaving food and sweet drinks uncovered outside. If a wasp comes near you, the best thing you can do is stay calm and move away slowly — swatting is one of the fastest ways to provoke a sting.

The time of year makes a big difference too. Early in the season, worker wasps are focused on feeding larvae inside the nest, which keeps them relatively calm. But by late summer — August and into September — the queen stops laying eggs, the larvae disappear, and with them goes the workers' main food source. Suddenly, those workers are hungry, and turning to sugary foods outside the nest: your drinks, your fruit, your bins. Colonies are also at their largest at this point, so there are simply more wasps out foraging and defending territory. 

But not all wasps behave the same way. Social wasps like yellowjackets tend to be the most aggressive and responsible for the majority of stings, as they have a colony to defend. Solitary wasps, on the other hand, rarely sting at all.

If you've found a nest on your property, don't try to deal with it yourself. Our wasp control technicians have the protective equipment and expertise to identify, treat, and safely remove wasps so you don't have to take the risk.