Love them or hate them, you can count on wasps to be here every summer – drinking our drinks, eating our food, scaring our children, and stinging us in the back! Wasps are a nuisance, but are they also beneficial pests?
Short Answer: Yes!
Long Answer: Well… just like beauty, ‘beneficial’ is in the eye of the beholder.
Let’s take a look below on how wasps can be beneficial for the environment and even farmers.
Wasps Provide Pest Control
Wasps eat other insects such as aphids, flies, and caterpillars. Without wasps taking care of these pests we could easily become overrun with them. Yellow Jackets are known to scavenge for dead insects!
Wasps Pollinate
Wasps aren’t known for their pollination skills and they are not as efficient as the beloved bee (due to the fact that they are not covered in hair for pollen to stick to), but they sure do their best! Some species of wasps have been found benefit flowers, figs, and even grapes. Some wasps use pollen to gain energy and others use it to feed their young.
Wasps Control Crop Pests
Wasps eat crop destroying bugs such as grubs, caterpillars, weevils, and aphids. Some farmers have been known to purchase wasp colonies to take care of pest problems on their farms.
Beneficial or not, wasps can absolutely be a nuisance and a danger to people with allergies. They can be aggressive and are able to sting multiple times. If you find yourself or your yard being terrorized by aggressive wasps be sure to give us a call.