What wasps eat varies depending on the species of wasp and their stage of life. Most wasps feed their larvae small pieces of insects they have captured, while adult wasps rely on sugary substances such as nectar, aphid honeydew, and a sweet liquid secreted by their larvae. This is why they often hover around ripe fruit, flower nectar, and human food like soda or juice.
Parasitic wasps, which lay their eggs inside other insects, have a completely different feeding strategy and rarely interact with humans. In contrast, social wasps, like yellow jackets and paper wasps, are feeders that seek out protein from meats and carbohydrates from processed human foods.
Wasps are essential to ecosystems because they help regulate insect populations. However, their presence can be concerning due to their painful sting, especially when they build nests near homes or gardens. Understanding their dietary preferences can help homeowners reduce attractants and prevent unwanted wasp activity. See our comprehensive guide to wasps for more information about these fascinating insects.
So, what do wasps eat?
A wasp's diet changes throughout its life cycle. In early summer, adult wasps hunt insects to feed their larvae, which in turn secrete a sugary liquid that the adults consume. Some wasps also regurgitate partially digested food to share nutrients within the colony. This mutual exchange continues until late summer, when the larvae mature into adults. As a result, wasps begin to crave external sources of sugar, leading them to seek out fruit, nectar, and human food like sodas or sweets. As well as nectar and fruit, some wasps may also collect pollen, making them occasional, though less efficient, pollinators compared to bees.
Some species, like bald-faced hornets, primarily consume fruit juices and nectar, while yellow jackets are more aggressive scavengers and often swarm around garbage cans. By late fall, as temperatures drop, wasps become less active and eventually retreat to their nests for the winter.
The mud dauber wasp is a common predator of spiders in North America. Rather than eating the spider, the mud dauber wasp stings it, paralyzes it, and places the corpse in a mud cell in the wasp nest. The larva then feed on the spider.
Unfortunately, wasps are not a common predator of the mosquito. Wasps are more commonly known for controlling spider and caterpillar populations.
Sort of. Paper wasps chew wood pulp to help create their paper-like nests. If you have wooden structures on your property, make sure you have a wasp control plan to help protect your property.
Yellow jackets are commonly known for feeding on human food, like meat, and other insects and spiders. This is one of the reasons they can be such a nuisance to people.
Some wasps are cannibals, meaning they will eat other wasps when food sources are scarce. This behavior is most commonly seen in species like the European hornet and certain yellow jacket species. Cannibalism typically occurs when protein sources are limited, and wasps turn to their own kind as a last resort. In some cases, stronger wasps will attack weaker individuals or consume dead nestmates to sustain the colony. This survival strategy ensures that the most dominant wasps have enough nutrients to continue foraging and reproducing.
The wasp is a predator of many insects, but that doesn't mean other animals don't eat wasps. Some natural predators of wasps include:
If you’re eating or drinking outdoors, a great way to prevent wasps is by not leaving food unattended or leaving it covered in an airtight container. Other useful tips for preventing wasp infestations include:
Your local Western Exterminator pest technician will devise a comprehensive wasp control plan to help keep wasps away from your home and family. We also provide wasp nest removal services.
Contact us online to learn more about our wasp control services, or give us a call at 800-937-8398.
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Wasps primarily eat sugary substances like nectar, fruit juices, and honeydew. They also consume proteins from insects to feed their larvae.
Wasps can temporarily be deterred by strong scents like peppermint, eucalyptus, and citronella. They also avoid sudden movements and smoke.
In early summer, wasps hunt insects to feed their larvae in exchange for sugary secretions. By late summer, as larvae mature, adult wasps seek external sugar sources. In winter, wasps become sluggish and remain in their nests, relying on stored energy reserves or scavenging when temperatures allow.
Wasps require high-energy foods, and sugary substances provide quick energy. In late summer, their need for sugar intensifies as larvae stop producing sweet secretions.
Different wasp species have varied diets. While most feed on nectar and insects, some, like yellow jackets, scavenge for human food, and others, like parasitic wasps, rely on hosts for sustenance.
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