Wasps are common insects that can become a nuisance, especially in late summer when their populations peak. One of the things that attracts them is sugary substances, like fruit juices, sodas, and other sweet drinks. But why exactly are wasps drawn to sugars, and how can you prevent them from ruining your outdoor dining? Here is a detailed look at wasps’ attraction to sugary beverages.
Why Are Wasps Attracted to Sugar?
Wasps, like bees, feed on carbohydrate-rich foods to get quick energy. This is because insects like wasps cannot produce sugars themselves through photosynthesis as plants can. Instead, they must find sugar sources in their environment. Some of the sugary substances that appeal to wasps include:
- Fruit juices
- Soft drinks
- Sweet teas
- Sports drinks
- Sweet wines
- Beer
- Sweet baked goods
- Ripe or overripe fruit
These provide wasps with an easy source of carbohydrates to fuel their high metabolism. Their attraction is similar to that of humans to sweets – they have a natural craving for sugar’s taste and energy. However, while sugary drinks may be refreshing for people, they can quickly become a nuisance when wasps flock to them.
The Role of Scent
Wasps locate sugary drinks not only by sight but smell. They have excellent senses of smell and can detect even very minute food odors in the air from distances. Any sweet-smelling foods and beverages, even if covered, will begin emitting aromas due to ingredients like fruit juices, sugar, yeast, malt, and alcohol. These aromas contain chemical compounds that wasps instinctively associate with sugary rewards.
Vision and Color Sensing
In addition to scent, wasps rely on vision to find sugar sources. Most wasps see UV light, which is invisible to humans. Many flowers reflect UV patterns to help pollinators locate nectar. Similarly, the bright colors and sugar content of drinks attract wasps visually. Red drinks in particular stand out, as do drinks in clear glassware or bottles that expose the liquid. Light reflecting off the surfaces of these drinks mimics the sheen of nectar and honeydew that wasps forage for.
Do All Wasps Have an Interest in Sugary Drinks?
While most species are drawn to sugar, certain wasp types are more likely than others to pester human drinks and food. Here is a breakdown of some of the most common nuisance drink-loving wasps:
Yellowjackets
Yellowjackets are one of the most familiar backyard wasps. They build large paper nests and have distinct black and yellow banding. In late summer and fall, yellowjacket workers switch from feeding on insects to seeking carbohydrates. They frequent trash bins, picnic tables, and other areas where human food is present. Yellowjackets will eagerly land on sweet drinks, especially if there is meat nearby that provides protein.
Paper Wasps
Paper wasps get their name from the papery nests they construct out of chewed wood fiber. These wasps have slender, black bodies with long legs. Paper wasps tend to be less aggressive than yellowjackets, but they still enjoy sweet substances. They will visit ripe fruit, leaked sap, and human drinks.
Hornets
Stinging insects in the genus Vespa are known as hornets. The European hornet is an invasive species in parts of North America. These large wasps love to lick up sugary liquids. Not only will they hover around soda cans, but hornets also damage ripe orchard fruits to access the juice. Hornets can be extremely defensive around their nests.
Mud Daubers
Mud daubers are solitary wasps that build mud nest tubes on buildings. They prey mainly on spiders but supplement their diet with flower nectar and tree sap. Mud daubers tend to avoid human spaces and are unlikely to show interest in drinks or food.
Parasitoid Wasps
There are thousands of tiny parasitoid wasp species that do not feed as adults. Their larvae feed inside other insect hosts. Since they do not eat as grown wasps, they lack interest in human consumables. The main exception is fig wasps, which enter fig flowers to pollinate and lay eggs.
Times of Year When Wasps Are Most Attracted to Drinks
Wasps’ interest in sugary substances fluctuates over the course of a year. Here is how their behavior changes seasonally:
Spring
In spring, wasp queens who survived winter emerge to start new nests. Nest-founding activities take precedence over foraging. However, spring flowers provide plenty of nectar, so wasps tend not to bother human drinks as much.
Summer
Through summer, wasp colonies grow exponentially, reaching maximum size by late summer. More wasps means more demand for carbohydrates. Workers switch from catering for larvae to feeding themselves. This is when they start nuisance drinking.
Fall
Fall brings peak wasp problems. The colonies have peaked, producing thousands of workers. But natural nectar sources decline, so wasps have to work harder to find nutrition before winter. This leads them to human food and drinks. Yellowjackets in particular depend on autumn sugars to build fat reserves.
Winter
Freezing temperatures cause colonies to die out, offering winter relief from wasps. However, hibernating queens will emerge on warm winter days. They are sluggish and less likely to bother drinks but may still forage for sugar.
What Types of Drinks Are Wasps Most Attracted To?
Any drink with a sweet flavor and detectable sugary aroma could attract wasps. But they have preferences for certain beverage qualities:
Soda
The combination of sugar and carbonation make soda hugely appealing. Drinks like cola and lemon-lime soda provide wasps with sugar for energy and carbon dioxide for a pleasing sensation. Only a tiny amount of soda on a wasp’s antennae causes drinking and recruitment of nestmates.
Sweet Tea
Like soda, sweet tea offers both flavor and smell to attract wasps. The ingredients – tea leaves, sugar, and water – produce an inviting combination. Even putting a lid on your tea is not enough to prevent wasps from smelling the sugars and attempting to reach it.
Juice
Fruit juices contain natural sugars identical to what wasps seek in ripe fruit. Juices made from grapes, berries, citrus, pomegranates, and other fruits all provide readily accessible carbohydrates. Juices also lack the pulp and fibers that would otherwise make fruit harder for wasps to breach and drink from.
Beer and Wine
Fermented drinks like beer and wine contain sugars derived from converted starches and fruit sugars. Yeasts produce enticing aromas as well. So opening a can or bottle of beer sends out cues that wasps associate with calorie-rich resources. Sweet white and rose wines are especially attractive.
Sports Drinks
The electrolytes in sports drinks are meant to replenish human athletes. But the sugars and salts appeal to wasps for the same reason. The brightly colored dyes also serve as visual cues. The risk is especially high if sports drink bottles are left open.
Steps to Prevent Wasps from Bothering Your Drinks
If wasps become a problem around your drinks, there are some steps you can take to discourage them:
Use Lidded Containers
Any open containers allow wasps easy access. Use bottles, cans, sports caps, travel mugs, or tumblers with lids to block wasps from landing directly in your drink. This limits their ability to taste the sugars.
Choose Pale Colors
Avoid brightly colored or transparent cups and bottles that attract wasps visually. Instead, pour drinks into containers that are white, pale blue, or gray. This provides less reflection and contrast to draw their eyes.
Clean Spills Promptly
Don’t allow spills of sugary drinks to linger. Wipe them up quickly, or use water to hose surfaces down. Residual stickiness will keep attracting wasps to that area.
Limit Outdoor Drinking
If wasp problems are severe, it may be best not to drink sweet beverages outdoors. Take food and drinks inside a screened porch or behind closed windows. This creates a barrier to keep wasps away.
Avoid Areas Near Trash
Never place your drinks near trash receptacles. The sugar residues and general food odors will draw wasps, causing them to then notice your nearby drinks.
Apply Repellents
Insect repellents like DEET, citronella, and mint oils can discourage wasp activity. Spray a perimeter around eating spaces. But do not spray tables or surfaces where food is placed.
Traps
Traps loaded with sugary bait can help pull wasps away from human drinks. Properly positioning and maintaining traps keeps wasp numbers lower.
Swatting or Squashing Wasps
If a wasp lands on your drink container, resist the urge to swat at it. Swatting will only aggravate the wasp. Quickly place a lid on the container to block its access. If you must kill the wasp, wait for it to land on a neutral surface. Then squash it firmly in one blow. Merely stunning the wasp can lead to stinging. Dispose of the dead wasp with a tissue to avoid spreading pheromones that attract others.
Are Wasps Attracted to Other Human Foods?
While sugary drinks are a prime target, wasps will also feed on other human foods, especially if sweet. Good sanitation limits attraction, but wasps can still become a nuisance at picnics, barbecues, and restaurants. Foods that commonly attract them include:
- Ripe fruits – cherries, grapes, pineapple, etc.
- Jams, jellies, and preserves
- Honey, maple syrup, and molasses
- Ice cream and Italian ices
- Cakes, pies, and other baked goods
- Sweet sauces and dressings
- Fruit salads
- Corn, due to natural sugars
- Meats and fish (for protein)
The highest risk items are anything sweet with an odor. Just a small sample of food allows wasps to taste for sugars. They will then carry bits back to the nest and recruit more wasps to that dining area.
Risk of Getting Stung
While having wasps sneak sips of your drink or steal crumbs of food is annoying, the greater danger is getting stung. Wasp stings are painful, and in some cases, they can trigger severe allergic reactions. Understanding the circumstances that provoke stinging can help prevent it:
Accidentally Swallowing a Wasp
If a wasp lands in an open drink container, you may accidentally swallow the wasp along with your beverage. Being swallowed will immediately trigger stinging by the wasp inside your mouth or throat. This is very painful and can require medical treatment.
Squashing a Wasp
If you try to swat at or squash a wasp with an ineffective blow, the wasp may have time to sting in self-defense before it dies. Always completely crush wasps in one definitive strike with an object.
Defending a Food Source
Once wasps start feeding on a sugary substance, they will work to defend it much like bees defend a nectar source. Approaching the food may cause them to sting to protect their prize.
Accidentally Touching a Wasp
It’s easy to inadvertently touch a wasp while picking up a drink container or gesturing with your hands near food. Surprising a lapping wasp causes it to sting reflexively.
Stepping on Wasps
If wasps congregate on the ground under a table or drinking area, accidentally stepping on them can provoke stinging. Watch your footing.
Treating Wasp Stings
If a wasp manages to sting you, there are some basic first aid steps:
Remove the Stinger
Use a fingernail, credit card, or tweezers to scrape or lift off the stinger. Try not to pinch it, as this worsens venom release. Removing it stops addition venom from injecting.
Wash the Wound
Wash the sting area with soap and water to clean away toxins and bacteria. Dry it and apply antiseptic if available.
Apply Cold
Icing the sting constricts blood flow to minimize swelling, pain, and spread of venom. Do this for 10-20 minutes.
Take Antihistamines
Antihistamines like Benadryl can counter allergic components and ease swelling and itch. Take oral pills as recommended on the medication label.
Monitor for Severe Reaction
Call 911 if stung victims show signs of throat swelling, difficulty breathing, nausea, dizziness or other signs of severe allergic reaction. Epinephrine kits can provide lifesaving treatment for those with known wasp venom allergies.
Professional Wasp Control
If wasps persist as a problem around food and beverages, contact a pest management professional. They have access to longer-lasting pesticides and nest locating services not available to consumers. Quick identification and elimination of nearby nests is key to getting wasps under control.
Preventing Wasps Year-Round
Discouraging wasps requires vigilance through all seasons:
Spring
In spring, locate and report any overwintered nests on structures. Removing nests early prevents large summer populations. Limit food odors during outdoor projects.
Summer
In summer, inspect regularly for small starter nests under roof eaves, patio covers, etc. Performing nest removal in early to mid-summer prevents expansion.
Fall
As colonies peak in fall, stay on top of nest removal. Avoid leaving drinks, food waste, and ripe fruit accessible. Screen indoor eating areas if possible.
Winter
Over winter, seal any gaps in structures that previously allowed nests. This prevents queens from accessing those sites next spring.
Conclusion
Wasps can certainly be a nuisance around sugary drinks and foods. But by understanding their biology and what attracts them, you can take steps to prevent problems. Manage nests proactively, use lidded containers, and avoid swatting. Be prepared to treat stings in case they occur. With some knowledge and caution, it’s possible to enjoy dining outdoors even when wasps are on the prowl for sugar!