Wasps, both beneficial and bothersome, play a crucial role in ecosystems. These are carnivorous predators and they feed on insects, nectar and sometimes even human foods. Their food preferences also differ by species with some being attracted to insects in the garden while others to sweet things or even protein.
It is crucial to know what do wasps eat and what draws them to a given area if you’re aiming to reap the advantages of their natural pest control or prevent them from nesting around you.
What Do Wasp Eat in Homes?
In homes, these insects are attracted to almost all types of food, which is why they are always seen as a nuisance. They run after meats, pet foods, insects, and any item that is sweet like soft drinks, fruits, and anything that is sweet.
Wasps feed on any type of food that is available and accessible and their sighting inside homes can be disturbing. Knowledge of the conditions that make wasps enter a home minimizes the likelihood of an attack and the occurrence of stings. Some foods that wasps eat include:
1. Sweet Foods
Wasps particularly love sugary substances since their energy demands are met immediately when they feed on such foods. They go for sweet foods and beverages including soft drinks, natural products, carbonated bottled water, candies etc.
These are usually left around or dropped thus making a conducive place for the wasps to visit. This feature assists these animals in identifying these sweet items that they may eat or transport to their nests.
The common food preferences of wasps include fruits that are already slightly rotten or spoiled which makes them sweet. They prefer to live on rotting fruits such as apples, peaches, or pear where the fruit is already squishy and filled with some kind of fermentation process.
The particular stench of fermenting fruit not only draws wasps but also serves as food for both wasps and their nests’ offspring. To discourage wasps, one should ensure that spoiled fruits are removed and fresh fruits are kept in the kitchen and not accessible by the wasps.
3. Jams and Syrups
Sweets like jams and syrups should be avoided or kept out of reach because wasps are very much attracted to anything that contains sugar. They can be present in open bowls or drips on the table, thus becoming attractive to wasps looking for instant snacks.
These sticky things attract wasps, which may consume them or even take them back to their nests or colonies. To avoid drawing the attention of wasps one has to ensure that there are no spills remaining around and that jams and syrup be stored in closed receptacles.
4. Meat
Butter or any other dairy products, sugary foods, or even leftover meats from BBQ or kitchen can bring wasps that are in need of proteins. They are particularly attracted by leftover pieces of barbecued meats, roasted chicken, and even fresh meat if it has been left uncovered.
Fatty or greasy meat can help attract wasps to areas where people like to eat outdoors or prepare food. In order to effectively ensure that wasps are kept away, it is recommended that meat scraps be discarded and any residue from foodstuffs that contain meats be cleaned up as soon as possible.
Leaving food for pets uncovered may attract wasps, and food with a lot of protein is most attractive to them. The wasps may be attracted to dry kibble or moist food that is left out for pets as they look for protein to feed to larvae.
The smell of pet food particularly, if it is based on meat or fish can attract wasps into your compound or house. To avoid this, avoid having pet foods exposed for long and ensure you clean areas where the food is taken often, for instance, bowls.
6. Nectar
This is because their favorite meals are flower nectar and sweetened beverages, which are rife in sugar content. Wasps in homes are attracted to nectar from indoor flowers or flowers from potted indoor plants and other drinks that are sugary but left unconsumed.
The smell of sweet nectar or beverages is very tempting for wasps in search of energy hence can easily get attracted to it. To reduce attraction, it is recommended that one should cover the drinks that are not in use and should also avoid placing flowers that are sweet to the wasps inside the house.
7. Bread Crumbs
Bread crumbs or any baked products can attract wasps as it is a source of carbohydrates to them. Specifically, wasps are most attracted to food crumbs left on outdoor tables, kitchen, or near a dustbin.
Food crumbs such as bread and pastries, produce small particles that wasps can be attracted to easily. To prevent attracting wasps, do not leave bread crumbs lying around, and clean the surfaces where food is prepared as soon as possible.
This is especially so with baked goods like cakes, pastries, and cookies which have high sugar content and would therefore attract wasps. Bugs like wasps are attracted to these types of foods especially if they are left on countertops or picnic tables.
When sweet odors are released, wasps that are several meters away can easily be attracted closer. To deter wasps, one has to ensure that desserts and other sweet items are kept covered and that the tables and floor should be wiped clean of any sugary residue.
9. Sugary Sauces
Ketchup and barbecue sauces are sweet and luring to the wasps because of their high sugar content. When these sauces are left outside on tables or counters, they act as a sweet invitation for wasps.
Due to their adhesive nature, they are very attractive; wasps may be attracted to the remnants that are left behind on surfaces or bowls. To prevent the wasps from coming closer, ensure that you wipe off any spillage of sugary sauces and also ensure that the sauces are stored in closed containers.
10. Cans and Bottles
The spills and residues left in cans and bottles are also a magnet for wasps. High sugar content from drinks such as soda, juice, or alcohol can attract the wasps into your compound or backyard.
Wasps can also search for any remaining liquid or sugary content in cans and bottles before flying off to their nests. To avoid attracting wasps, one should ensure cans and bottles are emptied and washed before disposal and if in use should be closed properly.
What Do Wasps Eat In The Wild?
In their natural environment, wasps have a very useful function as both predators and pollinators, consuming various natural food products. Wasps are carnivorous in nature where they feed on insects, spiders, and other small arthropods to take care of their young ones; however, adult wasps feed on nectar, fruits, and plant juices.
Wasps also feed on carrion and fruits that have fallen on the ground. Such a diverse diet ensures their sustenance and regulation of ecosystems within natural habitats. Some of the wasp diets include:
They are also known to be ferocious hunters of other insects such as flies, beetles, as well as ants. They employ their stingers and venom to immobilize their prey after which they transport the prey to the nest.
These insects offer protein and other nutrients especially when feeding their offspring or larvae. Wasps act as pest predators and thus play a significant role in the ecology of their habitat in that they aid in the management of pest populations.
12. Larvae
Some wasps eat their prey like caterpillars and beetle larvae directly but most feed on their larvae. The larvae are an excellent source of food, which is a protein that is required to make wasp young ones.
Adult wasps can also devour these larvae to feed their offspring, and help in controlling the pest population in a natural way.
13. Tree Sap
It feeds on sugary tree sap and sometimes resins, which it gets by gnawing into the trunk of trees. This sap acts as one of the most immediate sources of energy in the form of sugars.
Tree sap also contains other nourishment requirements crucial for sustaining wasps all year round, especially during the time when few other food sources are available. These feeding behaviors may sometimes lead to harming the trees thus affecting the health of their hosts in the process.
14. Honeydew
In fact, honeydew is a sugary substance that is extruded out by plant-sucking insects in particular those belonging to the aphid group. Adult wasps obtain carbohydrates from honeydew when they require energy boosts.
It is important for sustenance during the later part of the summer and into the early fall when other food sources become a little scarce. Although wasps feed on honeydew, they dine on aphids that adversely affect plant growth and development.
15. Pollen
While not as frequently as bees, some wasps do forage for pollen on flowers. The flowering plants offer nourishment in the form of proteins and other nutrients which are vital for them.
This also helps the process of pollination since the wasps pick pollen from one flower and place it on another while feeding. Even though their pollination responsibilities are not as great as those of bees, they do play a part in the overall continuum of the plant’s health.
Wasps are carnivorous, primarily feeding on fruits that have begun to rot and carcasses of other insects. This diet plays a role in enabling the recycling of nutrients in the ecosystem.
Thus, wasps help in the process of decomposition and nutrient cycling, crucial for sustaining the condition of the soil. Their feeding habits also help them minimize the presence of dangerous decomposing matter in their environment.
17. Small Invertebrates
Small invertebrates such as caterpillars, spiders, and other insects are the main targets of wasps. These invertebrates act as food for the wasps as they provide protein for the growth of their developing larvae.
Through their action of predation, wasps keep controlling the population of such small insects and prevent congested breeding of certain species.
18. Protein-Rich Foods
Occasionally, wasps use other small arthropods such as ants and spiders as sources of protein since their diets are primarily yields and fruits. This predatory behavior is essential for their mate acquisition and reproductive success because protein is required in the production of their eggs and larvae.
There is also a species of wasps that feed on these arthropods thus controlling their population and balancing the ecosystems.
19. Other Invertebrates
Apart from insects, wasps may also consume other small invertebrates such as mites and springtails. These creatures also contribute to the wasps’ and larvae’s dietary needs, which require protein and other nutrients in their diet.
Their diet assists in the regulation of invertebrate concentrations, which is beneficial for the species balance in ecosystems.
20. Dead Animals
It is not rare for wasps to visit their nests in search of small dead animals like rodents or birds to feast on. This behavior makes them get some proteins and other nutrients that may be hard for them to come along as they scavenge.
In fact, wasps help with recycling organic matter since they consume dead animals and thus actively contribute to decomposition.
Wasps are insects in the order Hymenoptera which is a category that also includes bees and ants. The females are described as having slender bodies, narrow waists, and the ability to have two pairs of wings.
They are often yellow and black but this coloration can be slightly different in different species. A wide variety of ants are found throughout the world, and there are more than 100,000 species of ants recorded.
Physical Characteristics
Wasp has a vivid and easily recognizable appearance; in many cases, they are painted in bright colors which indicate their sting. Their bodies are segmented into three parts: the head, torso, and abdomen.
They are equipped with antennae, compound eyes, and powerful mandibles for grasping and chewing. Most wasps have a stinger armed at the tip of their abdomen for injecting venom when in danger or when they hunting for their food.
Behavior and Habitat
Wasps are rather different in their activity and preferred areas of nesting. Some species are solitary, while others are social, living in colonies with a queen, workers, and drones.
Yellow jackets and hornets are the most common social wasps that are known to build nests from a paper-like material found in trees, shrubs, or even structures. Some solitary wasps such as the mud daubers build nests from mud or dig little pits in the ground.
Interaction with Humans
Some species of wasps are actually helpful to human beings while some are not and can cause a nuisance to people. While they are helpful in preventing or controlling pests, their existence is burdensome for people who are allergic to their stings.
The social wasp commonly stings if the nest is threatened or provoked while the solitary wasp is not so aggressive. When dealing with wasp nests, it is recommended to be very careful and to seek help from a professional exterminator if needed.
What Attracts Wasps The Most?
Wasps are very sensitive to different types of foods and stimuli in their environment, making them common insects usually seen hovering around gardens, parks, and outdoor events. They are interested in different substances based on the particular period of the year and if they need something stronger.
The early summer sees wasps searching for protein for the larvae, which are now hatching in their nests. They feed on insects, spiders, and other arthropod animals including pests like caterpillars and aphids.
They also go for live prey, meats, fish, and any type of food rich in proteins, especially during barbecues and picnics. Some prefer the smell of cooked or even raw meat for some reason.
Sugary Substances
Towards late summer and the beginning of the fall, there is a significant change in the diet requirements of the wasps as they go in search of sugar. This makes them have a strong affection towards sweet things such as ripe or spoiled fruits and nectar from flowers, sweet drinks, and cakes.
These foods contain natural sugars, which would be the source of energy that adult wasps require since they do not need to continuously feed larvae.
Environmental Cues
The wasps are also known to respond to particular stimuli in their environment. They are attracted to bright colors especially yellow and white as these are resemblances of flowers and their food sources.
With the sense of smell developing from food aromas to stench from garbage, they can be easily caught from a distance. Trash containers and uncovered food scraps are good sources of protein and sugars that wasps require, which is why you’ll often find them nearby.
Nesting Materials
Apart from food, wasps are interested in conducive nesting grounds. Nests in eaves, attics, and other quiet and undisturbed places such as hollow trees. Some species are especially attracted to wood or paper products, which serve as a material for making nests.
Most wasps during winter do not feed because they are usually less active often depending on favorable weather conditions. The amount of food resources is restricted, and also, the cold climate in which the bears live affects their feeding activity as well.
Most of the wasps are killed and only the mated females called queens live through the winters. These queens do not consume food during winter and survive on the fats accumulated in warmer months to only produce in spring.
Do Wasps Hibernate in Winter?
Yup, wasps do not actually hibernate, but it can be said that they stay dormant or are in a state of hibernation. Mated queens burrow under loose bark, into the soil, or hide in buildings to survive in winter.
At this time, they have rather low metabolism rates and do not eat or drink at all during this stage. They rely on their fat bodies to make it through the winter and then come out in spring to start another colony.
Did You Know?
Although they are considered some of the most hostile insects, wasps are important in ecosystems by helping with pollination. Certain species are efficient in flower pollinating while in search of nectar and thus play crucial roles in plant reproduction and species-rich diversity.
Indeed, despite the fact that they look very dangerous, wasps are actually beneficial for the environment!
