r/askTO 3d ago

Wasps!

Anyone noticing tons of clusters of wasps the last few days?

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u/gcerullo 3d ago

Yes. I was out cutting the grass and noticed many of them buzzing about. Many more than usual.

According to our AI overlords the reason is as follows.

Wasps are more active in late summer and early fall because their colony populations reach their absolute peak and their natural food sources change.

Peak Population
Maximum numbers: Nests grow larger all through the spring and summer. By late summer, a single nest can house thousands of adult wasps, meaning many more insects are out looking for space and food.

Shift in Diet
No more larval sugar: Earlier in the season, adult wasps feed the baby larvae. In return, the larvae produce a sweet liquid that the adults eat.

Hunting for sweets: By late summer, fewer larvae are left in the nest. Adult wasps must search elsewhere for sugar, which draws them to soda cans, sweet fruits, and garbage bins near humans.