Why are Wasps So Bad in the Fall in Hammonton, NJ? Wasp Mating Season Behavior, How to Avoid Stings & More

Most people think that the spring and summer months are when you see the greatest number of wasps buzzing around. If you live in New Jersey though, you know that wasps are incredibly active during the fall. This may leave many people scratching their heads as they wonder what could be making them so much worse in the fall months. Ross Environmental Solutions is here to talk about wasp activity in the fall, and why wasps seem to be so much more active during this time of the year.

Wasp Behavior in the Spring & Fall

As the world starts to wake up in the spring, plants, animals and insects alike are emerging from whatever hole they crawled into to wait out the winter. This includes wasps. You will often see one or two of them buzzing about in the springtime. These few wasps are queens that are looking for the next place to establish a colony. During the spring and into the summer, the queen is busy working to create brooding cells and hatching larvae. Most of the larvae that is cared for will be infertile female drones that will take over the task of finding food for the other larvae. By the end of the summer, the colony has likely reached it maximum capacity of about 4,000-5,000 wasps.

Fall is Mating Season for Wasps

As the colony reaches max capacity, there is a whole new batch of fertile females as well as males that are produced as well. The females will fly off to find a mate. This can partly explain why wasps are so active during these fall months. In addition, Queens are often looking for a place to overwinter. They can survive the winter in places like the siding on your home or holes in your trees. The males that were recently produced are looking to mate with these queens at this time as well.

How to Avoid Getting Stung by Wasps

Following are some tips to help you steer clear of a wasp encounter that could lead to an unfortunate sting.

• Be Aware: Most of the time, wasps aren’t looking to sting you. They are simply out looking for their next meal. When they feel threatened by you, they will become aggressive and that is when a sting happens. By being aware of your surroundings, you can usually avoid this.
• Sugar: Wasps are always looking for something sweet. If you have a drink, or other sweet foods lying around, it is sure to attract a wasp.
• Entry Points: Check all the seals around your doors and windows as well as the screens. The queen would love to get into your house at this time of the year.

Stinging Insect Control

If you have noticed that you have nests on your property, it is important that you leave it up to professionals to help you remove them safely. At Ross Environmental Solutions, we know how to safely remove wasp nests to decrease your chances of getting stung. Call us today!