THERE are more than 7,000 wasp species in the UK, both solitary and social species. Many produce young that eat insects, caterpillars and spiders, keeping numbers at manageable levels. The adults do not live long, so do not need such protein, instead feeding any insects they catch to their young. Instead, they only feed on sugars from plants and any food they find at picnics or in bins. In accessing the nectar in plants, they also act as inadvertent pollinators, so they have an important role to play in our gardens.
When wasps can a be a hazard
Wasps sting when they feel threatened and to defend the nest, but in late summer and autumn they begin to indulge in sugary substances, including ripening fruit, that can affect them as the sugars turn
