What do Wasps Eat?
Wasps are a very common pest in Colorado. This is especially evident in the summertime when they’re the most aggressive. Knowledge is half the battle, so to help avoid attracting wasps it’s a good idea to understand the type of diet they have. But what do wasps eat? Luckily, Bee Smart Pest Control is the pest expert, and we know everything there is to know about these creatures. We can answer all of your wasp-related questions, and we’ll start with what wasps eat.
Nectar and Fruits
Adult wasps nearly exclusively feed on sugars, and in the wild, there are two major sources of sweet stuff. Nectar is the sticky substance that bees use to make honey. Well, wasps also make use of it, by directly eating it. Wasps also will try and eat any fruit they can find. However, in the modern world, there’s another major source of sugar, human food. Many types of human foods are high in sugar. That’s why you’ll notice wasps trying to get into sodas, they want anything sugar-filled that they can find.
Other Insects
If adult wasps eat sugar, then what do young wasps eat? Surprisingly enough, young wasps are actually fed other insects. Adult wasps will hunt down other insects so they can take them home to their children. They kill the insects, then cut them up into pieces that they can carry back to the nest. Wasps will eat spiders, caterpillars, ants, bees, flies, crickets, grasshoppers, and even cicadas. The young wasps need protein to grow into adult wasps. Adult wasps don’t live too long, so they focus on sugars. They don’t need to grow, but instead, they just survive while they can to help the nest.
Honey Dew
There’s one more food source that wasps frequently use. They’ll happily eat aphids, but they can also use aphids for another food: honeydew. While honeydew is a type of melon, it’s also the name of secretion of aphids and some scale insects. Honeydew is made as aphids eat the sap of plants, and they can then secrete it. It’s sugar-rich and a perfect food source for many insects. Wasps utilize aphids as often as they can, as the adults can eat their secretions and the children can eat the bugs themselves.
Call a Professional if You Have an Infestation
Wasps have a varied diet, which can make it hard to prevent them from having an interest in your home. If you want to make sure you don’t have a pest problem, contact Bee Smart Pest Control. We offer many pest control programs to keep your home safe year-round, and Bee Smart Pest Control will help you get a personalized solution. Bee Smart Pest Control is a local business, so we understand the nuances of Colorado pest control and use chemicals that aren’t harmful to your family or pets. We pride ourselves on our safety and ability to relate to our customers on a personal level. Contact Bee Smart Pest Control online, or call us at 720-937-0527, to get a solution for your exact pest control problem today!