![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/CYTZARB4YRGOBGZMDNHET7FRKU.jpg\")
wasp A wasp hovers over a tulip on a warm spring day in Washington Park on Thursday, May 2, 2013, in Albany, N.Y. (AP Photo\/Mike Groll) (The Associated Press) <\/p>\nAnyone who\u2019s attempted to eat outside while the temperatures are warm enough to do so will likely notice a pesky presence.<\/p>\n
Wasps are still out in full force, circling barbeques and picnics, farmers markets and outdoor food stands. Critters like yellowjackets and hornets thrive in Canada during the warmer months, when they can often be seen and heard anywhere food or drink is present. Their persistence is hard to ignore, and neither are their numbers. But are there more of these bothersome bugs than in past years?<\/p>\n
Do we know if there are more wasps this year?<\/p>\n
Darryl Gwynne is an emeritus professor of biology with the University of Toronto. He says several censuses would be needed to assess the numbers of wasps over the years, which would be a challenging task. There also isn\u2019t any such data currently available. However, he believes that their numbers are the same as previous years.<\/p>\n
\u201cI suspect it\u2019s simply the time of year for their activity, and they\u2019re out there doing their thing,\u201d he told CTV News.<\/p>\n
wasp A wasp hovers over a tulip on a warm spring day in Washington Park on Thursday, May 2, 2013, in Albany, N.Y. (AP Photo\/Mike Groll) (The Associated Press) <\/p>\n
Wasps are at their peak around July, when their nests are at their maximum and growing. The ones that don\u2019t reproduce, known as workers, are the ones that are out and about, bugging us when we\u2019re eating outside. Gwynne said they\u2019re looking for food and sugar to help fuel their energy. <\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s why it\u2019s really important to keep any sugary drink well covered because the wasp will sometimes go inside,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
During the summer months, queens are generally in their nests. However, if you see wasps or hornets in early spring, those are the queens, as the workers haven\u2019t hatched yet. <\/p>\n
When do wasps and hornets die?<\/p>\n
The insects are ectothermic, which means their internal temperature largely relies on the external temperature. Gwynne describes the insect as an annual species, with most of the broods dying upon first frost. The queens, however, will mate and then hibernate throughout the winter.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey store the sperm in special sperm-storing pouches and burrow down into leaf litter or log piles,\u201d he explains. \u201cThey overwinter and start their nests the following spring, usually by themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/2Y3VGKM25ACMBCICTARBJHUKVY.jpg\")
Wasps In this Aug. 26, 2018 photo wasps sit on an apple fallen from a tree in Kempten, southern Germany. (Karl-Josef Hildenbrand\/dpa via AP) <\/p>\n
If warmer weather persists into the fall, Gwynne says to expect to keep seeing them around for longer. Research he conducted in New Zealand found that yellowjackets will continue growing their nests so long as the weather permits. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe really are lucky that we get severe frosts here in October or November, which nails these things dead,\u201d he said. \u201cWe know that if Canada didn\u2019t have their first early frost until February, we\u2019d probably have nests still growing,\u201d he says. <\/p>\n
What do nests look like?<\/p>\n
Wasp and hornet nests vary in texture, shape and location. <\/p>\n
A paper wasp\u2019s nest resembles an upside-down umbrella with a honeycomb pattern, supported by a single stalk. They build nests in various locations, from tree branches to parts of buildings like eaves and windowsills. <\/p>\n
Bald-faced hornets\u2019 nests, which look like paper m\u00e2ch\u00e9 balls, are built above ground and can grow to be the size of a football. <\/p>\n
Mud daubers\u2019 nests are tubular in shape, made of dirt rather than wood fibres and are usually found in dry places like attics, eaves, and decks. <\/p>\n
Yellowjacket nests have a single hole opening and can be found above or underground in hollowed trees, decks, eaves and even woodpiles. <\/p>\n
How to deal with wasps and hornets?<\/p>\n
If there\u2019s a wasp problem in or around your property, experts stress<\/a> it\u2019s best to get a professional in to deal with the problem. Since they love to feed, it\u2019s best to remove any leftover vegetation from gardens on the property. Also, don\u2019t leave out any meats or sugary drinks, as the insects are most drawn to those smells.<\/p>\n