Enjoy a wasp-free outdoor dining experience with these tips from experts.
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Warm weather invites alfresco dining.
Whether its abarbequeorpicnic, you may get some unwanted guests buzzing around.
Credit:koster62 / Getty Images
What Are Wasps?
There are tens of thousands of known wasp species, with thousands of new ones identified each year.
Wasps tend to be narrower in size than bees and have different diets.
Credit:Matthew Benson
Wasps can be a nuisance in an outdoor dining area because they eat insects and other animal proteins.
Wasps are carnivores and have a shiny, bald, longer, leaner body than bees, she says.
They also have a cinched-in waist between their thorax and abdomen.
Wasps are attracted to sweet smells and the odor of meat.
He says that wasps also serve as a food source for other species.
Where Wasps Nest
Some wasps are solitary, while others live in colonies, like bees.
Many solitary wasps dont have communal nests.
Some species lay their eggs directly on their living host.
The larvae hatch, feed on the prey, and emerge as adults.
These wasp species are less aggressive since they dont have a nest to protect.
He says they rarely sting people.
Experts agree that wasps dont sting for the sake of stinging.
Wasps sting when they feel threatened or when they are defending their nests, says Ekker Wiggins.
Staying calm when wasps are present is the best way to avoid being stung.
Swinging and fast movements can be perceived as threatening to both bees and wasps.
