3 Common Factors That Attract Wasps to Your Yard

A buzzing bug darting in your direction is never a welcome sight, but figuring out what you’re dealing with, whether it’s a bee, wasp, or something else entirely, can help you know how best to respond.

Having wasps around your home can quickly go from a minor nuisance to a frustrating and even painful problem. Let’s dig a little deeper into where wasps live, and how a little help from Brooks Pest Solutions can give you long-lasting solutions.

Wasps vs Bees: Differences To Know

These stinging insects may look similar at a glance, but their behavior, diet, and aggression levels can vary quite a bit.

What Wasps and Bees Eat

Bees are obligatory vegetarians. That means they lack the digestive system and enzymes needed to break down meat. Their diet consists mainly of nectar and pollen, which they gather from flowering plants. Nectar provides quick energy from its rich sugars, while pollen gets stored and turned into honey, the primary food source for feeding their young.

Wasps are a different story. These insects are omnivores, which means they’ll eat meat and plants. And they’re not just scavengers, they’re predators. Wasps hunt spiders, caterpillars, flies, and other insects to feed themselves and their larvae. That’s also why wasps can sting multiple times. Their stinger is a built-in hunting tool, and their venom helps immobilize prey quickly.

Do Wasps Sting More Than Bees?

Not necessarily—but they can. Just like bees, most wasps would rather avoid confrontation. If you’re walking down the sidewalk and spot a wasp nearby, there’s a good chance you can simply step aside and go about your day without any trouble.

The main difference lies in how easily wasps can be provoked. Social wasps, including species like yellowjackets and hornets, are especially territorial. While bees tend to save their sting for situations where their hive is under threat, social wasps have no problem attacking anything that gets too close.

And unlike bees, which can only sting once before dying, most wasps can sting over and over again. Even worse, when a wasp does sting, it releases pheromones that attract others to join in, potentially turning a single sting into a full-blown swarm.

There Are Many Different Types of Wasps

We’ve mentioned yellowjackets and hornets, but the truth is, there are hundreds of different wasp species, and not all are out to sting you. Some, like mud daubers, are solitary and rarely aggressive. Mud daubers are slender, with long waists, and tend to build small, tube-like nests out of mud in sheltered spots. They mostly hunt spiders and typically won’t bother you unless directly threatened.

Then there are cicada killers. Despite their intimidating name and size, they’re surprisingly laid-back. These wasps spend their days digging burrows in the ground and hunting cicadas to feed their larvae. While they look menacing, cicada killers rarely sting humans and generally keep to themselves.

What Attracts Wasps to Your Yard?

Wasps and bees are drawn to the same kinds of environments, but their behavior once they arrive is anything but similar. Unlike bees, which generally keep to their hive, wasps tend to roam and explore, looking for food, shelter, and places to build nests. That makes them a lot harder to deal with once they’ve decided your property is worth sticking around.

Sources of Food and Water Around Your Yard

One of the biggest reasons wasps show up in the first place is food. Sugary substances are their main fuel source, especially in the early summer, though protein also plays a big role, particularly when it comes to feeding their young. That’s why things like meat scraps left over from a cookout, pet food left outside, or open trash bins are all wasp magnets.

Wasps are also attracted to areas with a high population of other bugs. If your yard is swarming with flies, spiders, or other small insects, you might be inviting wasps in without realizing it. While they can help reduce some pest populations and even benefit your garden in small numbers, it doesn’t take much for a couple of wasps to turn into a full-blown infestation, so leave the residential pest control to the professionals from Brooks Pest Solutions.

Sheltered Nesting Sites Near Your Home

Another important difference between bees and wasps is how and where they choose to nest. Bees build large communal hives with thousands of individuals working together. Wasps, especially species like paper wasps, often live in smaller groups or even alone, and scatter their nests in multiple locations around your home.

This means you could have several wasp nests on your property without realizing it. Sheltered areas are prime real estate for nesting, such as the undersides of windowsills and porch roofs. But not all wasp nests are built up high.

Ground-dwelling wasps, like mud daubers and ground hornets, prefer to burrow into soft earth, often near footpaths or garden beds. These low-lying nests can pose a problem for children and pets who accidentally get too close, and can be easy to overlook without a professional residential pest control inspection.

Bright Colors and Sweet Scents

Ever worn a bright yellow shirt outdoors and suddenly felt like you were being targeted? You might not be imagining things. Wasps are naturally drawn to bright colors and sweet smells, and like bees, they’re attracted to flowers and food in the wild.

Unfortunately, your picnic table, Hawaiian shirt, or grilling station gives off the same signals. That bright can of soda? Just as appealing as a flower. Add in the smell of cooking meat wafting through the air, and it’s no surprise that wasps tend to crash backyard barbecues uninvited.

How To Get Rid of Wasps With Brooks Pest Solutions

If wasps have taken over your yard, dealing with the nest is only part of the equation. The real secret to long-term relief is taking a comprehensive approach that keeps them from coming back. That means identifying what initially drew them in and removing those attractants so the problem doesn’t return a few weeks later.

Brooks Pest Solutions uses proven and lasting wasp control strategies that do more than just knock down the nest. Our team can help pinpoint high-risk nesting areas, reduce attractants like food and shelter, and treat your property to discourage future colonies from moving in.

Contact us today to schedule service and take back your yard with Brooks Pest Solutions.