10 Wasp Facts

We all know that wasps can sting repeatedly, but here are some facts about wasps which you may not know. If you have a wasp or bee problem around your home, give Darnall Sprinklers and Spray a call at 1-208-777-7688 or complete the Free Quote Form below. We can help manage wasps all season long.

• The venom in wasps contains a pheromone that causes other wasps to become more aggressive. Try not to swat one near its nest or other wasps.
• The sting of a wasp should wear off within 24 hours but for a small minority of people the venom in their sting causes anaphylactic shock which can be fatal.
• An ordinary sting can be treated with deodorant containing aluminium.
• Wasps live in colonies that form self-contained communities, each following a caste order of queens, males and workers.
• A male wasp is called a Drone. The job of the Drone is to mate with the Queen. After they have fulfilled this mission, they die shortly afterwards.
• Wasps don’t swarm.
• European Hornets strip the bark from trees, causing damage to trees and shrubs.
• Wasps feed their young meat e.g. insect larvae.
• The only wasps that survive the winter are young fertilised queens. They emerge from overwintering in the spring to build new nests.
• Initially the queen lays up to a dozen eggs and when they hatch into larvae she feeds them until they become workers. The workers then forage for food, feed the new larvae and defend the nest.
• In late summer, the colony produces males and new queens. They fly away to mate and the queens then find a place to hibernate. The cold weather eventually kills the males, workers and foundation queen.