Every summer it’s the same. They are back, the wasps invite themselves to our picnics or our drinks on the terrace. They are annoying but are they really more numerous this year?
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You may have read press articles telling you that 2022 is the year of the wasp. Well, we said the same thing in 2021, 2020 or 2019… It’s actually mostly a matter of perception. With this great sun, you will enjoy the outdoors like a picnic by the river. It is enough that there is a nest of wasps nearby, which was not there the year before, and you will have the impression that there are more of them than the year before. But this is not necessarily the case. Moreover, the scientists we contacted do not make an overall count of the number of wasps. They therefore avoid advancing on this question.
The weather conditions still affect the populations. TIt all happens in the spring, when the wasp queens come out of hibernation to set up a new nest. It really is a defining moment. They have very little chance of surviving but if it is not too hot or too cold, the conditions are met for the colonies to be larger.
Then comes the summer when you have to feed the larvae. The colony continues to grow and this is where you are disturbed in your picnic. Wasps are omnivores. They are therefore obviously attracted by the nectar of flowers. but not only: ham, fruit juices, also interest them. And if you ever disturb them in their meal, watch out for bites!
But if the wasps disturb us, they are also very important. They have a major ecological role since, like bees, they are insects that participate in the pollination of plants. But wasps are also predators. They feed on other insects. They therefore make it possible to regulate the populations of mosquitoes or flies.
Wasps are also prey. Bats, weasels and certain species of birds known as bee-eaters love it. They are therefore an integral part of the food chain. Hence this advice: if you want to get rid of a wasp nest, do it only if it is really necessary.
How can everyone be better informed?
Take part in the consultation initiated as part of the European project De facto on the Make.org platform. Franceinfo is the partner