Wasps are currently annoying many Germans. And this year there seems to be a particularly large number of them. In the relatively warm and dry spring, many of them survived. “It’s a good wasp year,” says one expert.
As soon as you want to enjoy a delicious grilled sausage or an ice cream outside, they come buzzing in: From the point of view of many people, wasps are a real plague at the moment. “It’s a good wasp year,” said Wilhelm Deitermann, spokesman for the State Office for Nature, Environment and Consumer Protection NRW (LANUV).
The relatively warm and dry spring offered the colonies good survival conditions. “So there seems to be a lot of wasps this summer,” said Deitermann of the German Press Agency. However, this cannot be proven statistically.
In the summer, wasp colonies always reach their highest number, according to the Nature Conservation Union (Nabu) NRW. The insects are primarily attracted to sweet foods and grilled meat. While cakes, ice cream and juice are used for self-sufficiency, meat is used to rear the larvae.
The wasps are not more aggressive than in other years, said Deitermann. In principle, wasps have no interest in people – but they sometimes come very close to them when looking for food. “They only stab when they feel threatened – like being punched at or accidentally pinched.”
To protect against wasps, the Nabu advises covering food and drinks outdoors. If you do get stung, the sting should be cooled or treated with a heat pen. If an allergy is suspected or bites in the mouth and throat area, however, rapid medical help is required.
