Wasps are a diverse group of insects found across almost every continent, excluding Antarctica. They belong to the order Hymenoptera, which also includes bees and ants. Wasps exhibit diverse behaviors, appearances, and ecological roles across over 30,000 known species. While some are social, living in complex colonies, many species are solitary.
Dietary Preferences
The diet of wasps changes significantly between their larval and adult stages, and also varies by species. Adult wasps, particularly social species like yellowjackets and hornets, primarily seek out sugary liquids for energy. These high-energy foods include flower nectar, honeydew from aphids, sweet secretions from their larvae, and juices from ripe or decaying fruits.
In contrast, wasp larvae require a protein-rich diet for rapid growth and development. Adult female wasps hunt and capture a variety of insects and spiders, such as caterpillars, flies, and aphids, which they bring back to the nest to feed their young. Some social wasps are omnivorous, scavenging on carrion or meat. Solitary wasps often provision their nests with paralyzed prey for their offspring.
Habitat and Nesting Preferences
Wasps seek sheltered, dry, and structurally sound locations for building their nests, with preferences varying between social and solitary species. Social wasps, such as paper wasps, yellowjackets, and hornets, construct nests from a paper-like material created by chewing wood fibers mixed with their saliva. These nests can be found in a variety of places, including underground burrows, hollow trees, wall voids, attics, or suspended from eaves, branches, and porch ceilings. Hornet nests, for example, are often large, enclosed, and ball-shaped, built in dense trees or bushes.
Solitary wasps exhibit more diverse nesting habits, often building individual nests rather than communal colonies. Many species dig burrows in the ground, while others construct nests from mud, such as the mud daubers. These mud nests are found in protected spots like under eaves, on building sides, or in sheds. Some solitary wasps also utilize existing cavities, such as hollow plant stems or abandoned insect tunnels in wood.
Factors That Attract Wasps
Several elements draw wasps to human environments. Sweet substances attract adult wasps, especially later in summer when their need for sugar increases. This includes exposed sugary foods and drinks like sodas, fruit juices, and desserts. Decaying or overripe fruit, whether on trees or fallen, also attracts them due to high sugar.
Wasps are also drawn to protein sources, which they collect to feed their carnivorous larvae. They are attracted to outdoor meals featuring meat, pet food, or open trash cans with food waste and carrion. Strong scents, including those from certain perfumes, can also draw wasps. These attractants fulfill their dietary requirements, leading them to forage where resources are available.