Wasps are feared and hated. Granted they do sting if you disturb them but that is no reason to fear them. In this post I will look at 10 wasp myths that will surprise you. Armed with this new knowledge I hope that you will learn to either like wasps or at least hate them less.
As a general background review of wasp facts have a look at Understanding Wasps – They Are Not Evil!
Wasp Myths
This list of wasp myths are the ones that I was able to find. If you know of others please post a comment and tell us about them.
Wasp Stings Do Not Hurt
When a wasp stings it injects venom into your skin. It is a myth that the venom hurts and causes swelling. The symptoms you see and feel when you get stung are the result of your own body defenses. The human body causes the swelling, reddening, itching and pain after a sting (ref 2).
A small percentage of people have severe reactions, which can be fatal. Death, due to anaphylaxis, is fairly rare.
The average person is stung 2-3 times in their lifetime. I wonder if gardeners are stung more often?
People Allergic to Wasp Stings are also Allergic to Bee Stings
This is a very common wasp myth. The venom from bee stings and wasp stings are quite different and “the vast majority of people that are allergic, are allergic to either wasp or bee but not both.” (ref 2).
The normal reaction of swelling and pain is not an allergic reaction and most people will experience these symptoms from both bee and wasp stings.
Baking Soda – Will it Reduce Symptoms of a Wasp Sting?
One common cure for the symptoms of a wasp sting is the application of baking soda. The claim is that since baking soda is alkaline it will neutralize the acidic compounds in the wasp venom.
The first point to note is that wasp venom is NOT acidic. It does contain alkaline compounds.
The article The Chemical Compositions of Insect Venoms says it so well I will just quote them, “Sadly, this is something of an over-simplification. Whilst it’s correct that bee venom has some acidic components, whilst wasp venom has some alkaline constituents, the venom quickly penetrates the tissue once you’ve been stung. Therefore, topical application of an acid or alkali to the sting area is unlikely to provide relief. Additionally, since the venom is such a complex mix of components, many of which have contributing effects, it’s unlikely that neutralizing a small number of these components would relieve the pain.”
A Copper Penny Placed on a Sting Will Relieve the Redness and Swelling
This is just a silly myth that does not warrant a comment. If you are stung there are some things you can do to help the pain and swelling.
- Do nothing – in most cases it goes away in 24 hours
- Wash with soap and water to remove venom
- Apply cold water and ice to reduce swelling
- Take an antihistamine to reduce swelling
- Apply calamine to reduce itching
If the reaction to the sting is significant seek medical help, especially if the sting is in the area of the throat or mouth.
Is it Easy to Remove a Nest at Night?
Wasps return to their nest at dusk and remain their overnight. It is a good time to remove the nest, but this still has to be done very carefully. If disturbed, wasps will come out at night to get you.
Contrary to popular belief, you can NOT destroy a nest by hitting it with a baseball bat – even at night. How do people come up with these dumb ideas??
Are Wasps More Dangerous Than Bees?
People get attacked more by wasps because they tend to build their nests in hidden locations. As a result people disturb their nest by accident.
With killer bees becoming more prevalent in warm areas, bees may actually be more dangerous than wasps.
The risk of serious complications or death are about the same for wasp stings and bee stings.
Watch a Wasp Build a Nest
This is a real cool video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaX9Hdeg4FU
If the above video does not play, try this link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaX9Hdeg4FU
Do Wasp Traps Work?
This one is sort of a myth. If the goal is to reduce the wasps around your table at dinner time than they do work a bit. Wasps are attracted to the traps, they will be captured and then die. The problem is that only a few of the wasps will be captured having little effect on the rest of the colony. There will be more next time you dine outside.
Traps are not designed to get rid of a nest that is close to your eating area.
Artificial Wasp Nests Will Keep Wasps Away
A common solution for keeping wasps away is the artificial wasp nest, usually made out of wire and paper. Does it work or is it a myth?
Wasps are territorial and will usually not build their nest near another wasp nest. If the artificial wasp nest is hung early in the season before nest building starts it may convince the wasp to build somewhere else. However, insect exterminators have reported having several live nests in close proximity of one another. Not all wasps build their nest in isolation.
The other problem is that a single fake wasp nest will not be enough. To keep wasp nests away from your home and your garden you would need to hang dozens of artificial nests.
Yellow jackets build their nest in the ground, so hanging the fake nests will do nothing to keep them away. Most of my stings are from ground nests that I don’t see until it’s too late. Yellow jackets are also the ones that are a pest at dinner time.
Once nest building has started, wasps are very reluctant to move. Hanging an artificial nest near a real nest will not get the wasps to move. One year I collected a large paper wasp nest and the following summer I placed it right beside a live nest. The wasps took no notice of the empty old nest.
In conclusion, fake wasp nests probably do very little to keep wasps from building nests near your home.
Wasp Stings Do Not Stay in You
After a wasp stings it will try to pull it’s stinger back out and fly away. This allows a single wasp to sting several times.
If you slap at a wasp as it stings you it is quite possible that you will squish the wasp, leaving the stinger in your skin. Larger species like hornets are also more likely to leave their stinger behind.
Do Wasps Produce Honey or is it a Myth?
Some species of wasp do produce small amounts of honey. An example of this is the Mexican honey wasp.
Only about 5% of bees produce honey.
Do Wasps Re-use Old Nests?
Normally wasps use a nest for one year. At the end of the year, all except the queen die. In spring the queen starts a new nest and rarely uses the old one.
In some cases the wasps will either reuse an old nest or build a new nest right on top of the old one. I have had a small colony of wasps living behind the bricks on my home for 3 years now. Each year they have used the same entrance crack.
Will Wasps Chase You?
Wasps will not chase you unless you disturb them. You can stand a few feet away from a wasp hive and as long as you don’t make a sudden move, they will leave you alone.
If you disturb their nest they will attack and sting you. In the process of stinging they mark you with a chemical odor that makes it easy for other wasps to find you. If you run, they will chase you and they are faster than you. Yellow jackets and paper wasps will not chase you very far, unless you have destroyed their nest. Hornets can chase you up to 300 feet (100m).
Wasps Eat Mostly Sweet Things
This common wasp myth probably exists because people and wasps usually meet over the dinner table where wasps are attracted to sweet things and fermented things like wine. Late in the season they do like these foods, but early in the year they hunt for meat. Wasps are exceptional insect hunters. They play a very important role in keeping the garden free of pest insects.
Best Way to Remove a Wasp Nest
There are several ways to remove a wasp nest, but not everything you read on-line is a good idea. Be careful.
Burning
Nests are made from thin paper-like material. It is flammable when dry and the inside of the nest is usually dry. There are two problems with burning. Nests are always attached to something like a tree or house. Both of these are also flammable. Don’t start a big fire trying to get rid of a wasp nest.
The second problem is that even if this is done at night when the wasps are inside, the fire will probably not kill all the wasps. The remaining ones will likely attack you. After that, they’ll go and build another nest.
Drowning
Nests that are in the ground can be flooded with water. It is not likely to kill all the wasps and the ones that get away will come after you. It can be done using a long garden hose which will keep you at a safe distance.
If the surviving wasps move to a new location you might get stung by accident because you don’t know where the new location is. It might be best to just leave them where they are or use a commercial pesticide spray designed for wasps.
Use a Professional
For nests that are hard to get at, or inside building walls, it is best to contact a pest control technician and let them do the job properly.
Insecticide Spray Can
An easy way to kill a hive is with wasp and bee spray. The can is designed to spray 8 ft or more and the chemical kills them on contact. Wait until dusk when all the wasps are inside the hive. Then spray the opening. Keep spraying as the wasps come out. The product is easy to use and very effective.
Bounce Fabric Softener Sheets Keep Wasps Away
This is a very popular recommendation on blogs and social media. Does it work? I don’t know. There are lots of anecdotal claims saying it works, and lots of claims saying it does not work. None of the claims include any comparison tests so the comments are quite meaningless.
In one case they put the sheets right next to the wasp nest and the wasps were unaffected.
Like so many common stories about DIY pest control, it probably does not work, but we need some real data on this one.
Getting Rid of Flowers Will Keep Wasps Away
Wasps do visit flowers in search of food, so it might seem like a good idea to get rid of the flowers. Unfortunately, wasps will look for the safest place to make their nest. That is usually an area next to or on your house, regardless of the presence of flowers. Besides, nests are usually built before flowers show themselves in the garden.
Spheksophobia – the Fear of Wasps
If you are not allergic to wasps, and most of you are not, there is no reason to fear wasps. Next time you see one, stand still and just watch it. It is very unlikely that you will be stung when the wasp is away from the nest. Spending more time beside them will help to reduce your fear.
A lot of fear is learned from parents. An adult screaming at the sight of wasps ends up teaching the child to have a similar reaction. Stop the cycle of fear. For more information on Spheksophobia, have a look at Fear of Wasps Phobia – Spheksophobia.
References:
- Top 10 Myths About Wasps De-bugged; http://bristolpestcontrol.blogspot.ca/2014/03/10-wasp-myths.html
- Wasp and Insect Allergy; http://www.allergy-clinic.co.uk/more-about-allergy/wasp-allergy/
- Wasp Nest Removal; http://www.rentokil.com/blog/wasp-nest-removal/#.V9XJ_TX2XYg
- Photo source;
Great article, thank you for all the helpful information!
I work outside, and I was stung by a wasp yesterday. I made the mistake of swatting it away from my nose when it landed. Today, back at work, I feel like all the wasps are finding me. I’ve covered myself with essential oils- peppermint, lemongrass, and eucalyptus- which other sites say are repellent to wasps, but I still feel like they’re coming for me. (This might just be that now I’m nervous and it’s actually the same number as before.)
My question is this: Once a wasp stings/releases pheromones, how long can other wasps sense that? Does my current sting attract wasps marking me as a threat?
Thank you
I don’t know. But i doubt it would last until the next day.
In response to a comment regarding the Michigan hermit using chewing tobacco to soothe the sting; nicotine is actually an effective anti inflammatory chemical that disrupts the bodies immune system. It may not “take the poison out” but if what you claim that the venom “does not hurt” then this is not a myth. 🙂
I have wasps that go in behind the vertical barn wood siding on my porch. Are they doing damage to my house?
It is a loaded question. probably not, but their nest might increase humidity inside the walls, which can cause damage.
I have found that, while being chased fly American yellow jackets that cam from a hanging nest, I took about 10 steps and decided to duck around a corner. They were right behind me, but didn’t seem to realize that I had made a turn. It was either that or in the lake which was about 60 ‘ farther away. Saved me.
Garden sprayer, water and Dawn dish soap. Try it. As a Carpenter I keep a sprater with me all summer long. Believe me it works for killing MOST wasps and bees.
I have wasps around my hummingbird feeder. Will they keep the hummingbirds away?
A few wasps are not a problem. keep the feeder clean, and it won’t attract wasps because they can’t get at the sugar solution.
Lol, I got stung by a wasp a few weeks ago. It definitely hurts and it definitely causes swelling. Please stop giving people misinformation on these creatures as it’s not a myth.
I never said they don’t sting.
I also never said a sting does not hurt.
The information I did say in the post is correct, as far as I know.
“It is a myth that the venom hurts and causes swelling.”
I hope someone here can explain to me what y’all are talking about when you say the wasp all go inside the nest at night and sleep? I’ve lived here 6 yrs and there are wasp nests all around under the eaves of our house. They seem very docile. One time they made a nest under a small bench on the patio. That time my husband was stung a few times when he lifted the bench, not knowing the nest was on the underside. One of my pups got stung the same day. So he destroyed that nest (hence the several stings. I came outside & used the hose to get them to leave him alone. It was a very small nest, just beginning. It seemed none of them tried to get me. All the rest of the time we’ve lived here there have been no other problems. One year they made their nest too close to the back door & it was obvious they were upset every time the door opened. They actually moved themselves higher up. Anyway, the nests don’t seem to have an inside. It’s just the cells with the babies in them & the adult wasp just sit on top all around. So what are y’all talking about them going inside it.
paper wasps make quite large nests – either hanging or underground.
When we were children growing up in the country in central Michigan there was an old hermit who lived in a shack in the woods near us. He spent his life farming. He put chewing tobacco (wet from saliva) on my brother’s arm when he got stung by a bee and, if I remember correctly, it took the poison out of the sting.
I’m not sure this works or not!
How could you know that “it took the poison out of the sting”. You can’t see the poison.
I am not trying to be rude, but it is a way for myths to start. It is unlikely that any chemical will draw out the poison – chemicals don’t work that way.
The one and only time I got stung by a bee was when I was about 5 years old. My mother put shaving cream on it. That was almost 60 years ago, so I don’t remember if it actually did anything to alleviate the pain. Probably was done more for a placebo effect than an actual pain reliever. As far as wasps and hornets nests, I’ve had plenty of them around my property. They seem to love the rafters on my open porch. I leave them alone and never got stung. A few years ago I had one nest full of bald-headed hornets that was more than a foot across. For a full season I had to pass them every time I opened the door to go on the porch and into the garden. They were there the whole season. Then, one fall morning, I stepped out onto the porch and saw that their nest had been destroyed. I suspect birds were the culprit.
Good, honest writing. After moving a pot that had been sinking on one side for about 6 months, my mother noticed a white thing in the ground. She told me and I poked it with a stick, no glasses on so I could not tell what it was and thought she was right when she said that the black things coming out of the spot looked like flies. Duh!!! Ground wasps and the rest of the stinging flyers never bother me. Well, not until I wrecked their nest. I flooded it 2 times for 15 minutes each and used cheap window cleaner down the hole the 3rd time and again flooded it. Up came the 3 that were in the entryway and more than a dozen after that. All dead, they just floated around on the murky water’s surface. Daytime, late afternoon, all gone. Except for half a dozen escapees which, due to 1 initial attack sting, the rest usually 2 to 3 per day come around to harrass me. I just keep hitting them with the 100% effective window cleaner with ammonia. The cleaner works. Not sure if it’s the ammonia or all the cleaner’s ingredients combined that work but it does. I call it “Jacket Nest B Gone” (lol).