For real though, aggressive wasp species give the chill species a bad name. It’s like being mad at bumblebees because Asian giant hornets exist.
Yellow jackets for example are definitely unpleasant: they buzz you when you try to eat outdoors, don’t get the message to move on when swatted at, and constantly carry an attitude of “come at me bro.” However my local species of paper wasp (I live in the Pacific Northwest of the US) is crazy chill and very conflict avoidant: they don’t buzz or chase humans, don’t show interest in human food or garbage, and will get out of your way if disturbed (assuming you’re not attacking their home)
In fact, we actively attract paper wasps to our garden by planting western yarrow, and even have plans to erect a wasp box for them to safely make a home in (no I’m not joking). Why? Because in addition to being peaceful members of our garden ecosystem–alongside butterflies, ladybugs, frogs, salamanders, birds, and other critters–they are dedicated hunters of garden pests such as cabbage white caterpillars. As someone who grows a lot of kale for its year-round hardiness, I cannot express how much I appreciate wasps’ dutiful patrol of our brassicas and other crops. And if you can get a population to establish themselves near your garden they will indeed be dutiful in scouting out pests.
It took me a while to shake off my all-wasps-are-bastards attitude toward them, but I really cannot express how much paper wasps have become garden bros, and it makes me sad to see my bros vilified.
The only “irrational fear” I have that I know of is of wasps, but your example is exactly how I came to appreciating wasps, cabbage moth caterpillars and all lol
We don’t see too many paper wasps where I am, so I had to accept that the yellow jackets in my garden cared more about the caterpillars than me and I thankfully hadn’t gotten stung or chased the whole time I had that garden. I had to move and now the real pest I have to fight are deer, scumbag deer… Destroy your garden and your car, some even in the same day lol
For real though, aggressive wasp species give the chill species a bad name. It’s like being mad at bumblebees because Asian giant hornets exist.
Yellow jackets for example are definitely unpleasant: they buzz you when you try to eat outdoors, don’t get the message to move on when swatted at, and constantly carry an attitude of “come at me bro.” However my local species of paper wasp (I live in the Pacific Northwest of the US) is crazy chill and very conflict avoidant: they don’t buzz or chase humans, don’t show interest in human food or garbage, and will get out of your way if disturbed (assuming you’re not attacking their home)
In fact, we actively attract paper wasps to our garden by planting western yarrow, and even have plans to erect a wasp box for them to safely make a home in (no I’m not joking). Why? Because in addition to being peaceful members of our garden ecosystem–alongside butterflies, ladybugs, frogs, salamanders, birds, and other critters–they are dedicated hunters of garden pests such as cabbage white caterpillars. As someone who grows a lot of kale for its year-round hardiness, I cannot express how much I appreciate wasps’ dutiful patrol of our brassicas and other crops. And if you can get a population to establish themselves near your garden they will indeed be dutiful in scouting out pests.
It took me a while to shake off my all-wasps-are-bastards attitude toward them, but I really cannot express how much paper wasps have become garden bros, and it makes me sad to see my bros vilified.
I vote for more people effectively making “pet insect box” of species that hunt down pests
There’s assorted companies that sell parasitic wasps as pest control.
Spalding sells theirs as “fly predators”; they basically look like tiny gnats but lay their eggs in fly pupa. They work great.
The only “irrational fear” I have that I know of is of wasps, but your example is exactly how I came to appreciating wasps, cabbage moth caterpillars and all lol
We don’t see too many paper wasps where I am, so I had to accept that the yellow jackets in my garden cared more about the caterpillars than me and I thankfully hadn’t gotten stung or chased the whole time I had that garden. I had to move and now the real pest I have to fight are deer, scumbag deer… Destroy your garden and your car, some even in the same day lol
I like your style
Paper wasps in the southwest are chill too. A wasp box is a neat idea, ty!
Yup same for the wasps from where I live. The only time I swat them away, is if they get near my food, or my ear.
Look into fig wasps. I dare you.