Wasps, like other insects, are often drawn to certain scents and smells in their environment. Understanding what odors attract wasps can be useful for both avoiding them and luring them away from areas where they are unwanted. There are several key scents that wasps seem particularly interested in.
Sugary and Sweet Smells
One of the most well-known smells that attract wasps is sugar and other sweet things. Wasps have a strong preference for sweet foods as an energy source, so they are easily drawn to the scent of sugary items.
Some examples of sweet smells that wasps are attracted to include:
- Ripe fruit
- Fruit juices
- Soft drinks and other sweet beverages
- Candy
- Jams and jellies
- Syrups
- Nectar from flowers
- Honey and honeydew from aphids and other insects
Wasps have evolved to seek out carbohydrate-rich foods. They are equipped with sensory receptors on their antennae and mouthparts that can detect even small amounts of sugars and other sweet compounds.
When wasps catch a whiff of something sugary in the area, they are quickly drawn to it looking for a meal. This is why foods and drinks like sodas left out at picnics or cookouts can attract wasps.
Meat Smells
In addition to sweet items, wasps are also attracted to the smell of protein-rich foods, particularly meats and meat byproducts.
Some examples of meaty smells that attract wasps include:
- Raw meat
- Cooked meat
- Fish
- Pet food
Wasps need protein from animal tissues to feed their larvae and allow them to grow. When they detect the scent of meat, it signals a good protein source.
Trash cans containing food waste scraps are common sites where wasps congregate looking for meat and other protein-rich foods.
Fermented Fruit and Alcohol
Wasps are also drawn to the smell of fermenting fruits and fermented beverages like beer, wine, and cider.
As fruits begin to rot and ferment, the sugars break down and produce other compounds like acetic acid, ethanol, and acetaldehyde. The aroma of these fermenting fruits can be very appealing to wasps.
Similarly, alcoholic drinks contain ethanol, which produces a distinct fermented scent. Wasps often investigate these smells looking for a sugary treat.
At large outdoor events like festivals, wasps are frequently seen around trash cans containing fermented fruit peels or discarded alcoholic beverages.
Human Foods and Cooking Smells
Wasps are naturally drawn to human foods and cooking smells for several reasons:
- The scents indicate a food source.
- Cooking smells mean easy access to meat and other proteins.
- Food waste may be readily available.
- Humans sometimes inadvertently swat at wasps, stimulating a defensive response.
Some examples of human food smells that attract wasps include:
- Grilling meat
- Frying foods
- Baked goods
- Discarded food scraps and leftovers
Picnics, barbecues, carnivals, and other outdoor eating events practically summon wasps looking for an easy meal. They quickly fly in to investigate any enticing aromas.
Dairy Products
Wasps are attracted to dairy products like cheese, milk, yogurt, and ice cream. These foods contain proteins, sugars, calcium, and other nutrients wasps need.
Cheese, in particular, contains concentrated milk proteins as well as aromatics like isoamyl acetate that give it a distinct smell. The scent of dairy foods helps wasps hone in from a distance.
At outdoor cafes, wasps often hover around tables inspecting glasses of milk, bowls of ice cream, and plates with cheese.
Bakery Goods
The sweet, inviting scents of fresh-baked breads, cookies, cakes, and pastries are like magnets for wasps looking for a carb-loaded meal. Bakery goods contain sugars, starches, proteins, and other nutrients wasps seek out.
Stores and stands selling freshly baked items are prone to wasp problems if the smells waft outside. Some compounds in bakery goods, like vanillin, are especially tempting.
Softer, moist bakery products seem to be among the most attractive to wasps because they are easier to break down and consume.
Sweetened Beverages
Wasps cannot resist super-sweet sodas, fruit drinks, sports drinks, and other beverages flavored with sugar and fruit syrups. The plumes of sugary scents emanating from open cans and cups contain all the cues wasps need to home in.
At parks and other outdoor venues, spilled sweet drinks often result in swarms of wasps looking for an easy meal. The high sugar content makes these beverages rich sources of the carbohydrates wasps depend on.
Even unsweetened beverages may attract wasps if fruit juice or other sweet mixers have been added.
Flower Nectar
Wasps need nectar from flowers as a major food staple, so they are innately attracted to floral scents signaling a nectar source.
Bright, colorful flowers that produce more potent fragrances, such as:
- Lilacs
- Jasmine
- Lavender
- Roses
- Honeysuckle
Tend to be especially attractive to wasps looking for the sugary nectar inside. Flowering trees, shrubs, and ornamental plants draw in wasps from yards or gardens nearby.
Fruit and Fruiting Trees
Ripening fruit gives off aromatic compounds that signal sugar content. So fruit trees and berry bushes produce scents that readily lure hungry wasps.
Overripe, fermenting, or damaged fruit seems to give off even stronger smells that attract wasps from greater distances. Common fruits that draw in wasps when mature include:
- Apples
- Apricots
- Blackberries
- Cherries
- Grapes
- Peaches
- Pears
- Plums
- Raspberries
- Strawberries
Fruit picking outings and orchards can be prone to wasp problems since so much ripe fruit is available.
Rotting Fruit and Vegetables
As fruits and vegetables begin to decompose, fungi and bacteria break down complex carbohydrates into simple sugars. This produces volatile scents that attract hungry wasps.
Some examples of produce waste that draws in wasps with its smell include:
- Rotten apples
- Moldy berries
- Overripe melons
- Decaying tomatoes
- Spoiled onions and potatoes
- Damaged squash
Compost piles containing discarded produce scraps are common hot spots for wasps looking for an easy meal. The smell of fermentation from the compost is very enticing.
Yeast
Wasps are attracted to the scent of yeast, both dry active yeast and yeast leavened bread dough. Yeast produces appealing aromas as the microbes metabolize sugars and starches.
Bakeries, pizza kitchens, breweries, and anywhere else working with yeast can attract wasps drawn in by the scent. Fermenting yeast smells signal a good food source.
Even small amounts of yeast, like that used in homemade bread dough, can summon curious wasps from the garden or through open windows.
Carrion and Decay
Wasps feed on dead insects, animals, and other organic matter to obtain proteins and fats. The smell of decomposition signals a good place to scavenge.
Carrion, dead fish, compost piles, dung, and garbage containing meat and dairy waste all produce scents that attract wasps.
The types of volatile compounds given off by rotting organic materials are like pheromones to wasps, triggering foraging behaviors.
Mud and Dirt
Wasps use mud and dirt as a construction material to build their paper nests. The loamy, earthy scent of fresh mud seems to attract them.
Good sources of mud that appeal to wasps include:
- Puddles
- Muddy trenches
- Edges of ponds and streams
- Patches of wet, disturbed soil
- Mud piles and puddles at construction sites
Wasps gather small balls of mud to mix with chewed wood pulp as they build up nest structures. The moisture also allows them todrink while collecting mud.
Smoke
Wasps are attracted to the scent of smoke and will investigate plumes of smoke rising in the air. Smoke contains carbon dioxide, which wasps may interpret as the scent of other insects.
Smokey events and locations that often attract wasps include:
- Barbecues and grills
- Campfires
- Burn piles
- Chimneys
- Fires and burning buildings
The smoky aromas contain cues leading wasps to food, warmth, and possible nest sites. They will readily fly toward and congregate around smoke sources.
Perfumes and Fragrances
Many chemical perfumes, scented cleaners, soaps, deodorizers, and fabric softeners contain floral, fruity, or sweet scents designed to smell pleasant to humans. However, this also makes them attractive to foraging wasps.
Specific fragrant products that may lure wasps when used outdoors include:
- Floral perfumes
- Fruit-scented detergents and soaps
- Sweet air fresheners
- Scented dryer sheets
The aroma molecules in these products mimic natural food sources or signaling pheromones for wasps. Using strongly scented items sparingly helps avoid drawing in unwanted wasps.
Gasoline and Other Fuels
Interestingly, wasps seem attracted to the pungent scents of gasoline, diesel, kerosene, lighter fluid, and other petroleum products. These may mimic floral or sweet scents.
Areas where fuel smells are detectable, such as:
- Gas stations
- Marinas
- Car, boat, or plane maintenance yards
Will often have issues with wasps investigating the aromas and attempting to collect at fuel sources.
The vapors from fuels and solvents contain volatile compounds that wasps likely misinterpret as signs of food resources. This phenomenon is not well understood but oft observed.
Conclusion
Wasps utilize scent as one of their primary means of locating important resources in their environment like food, water, nesting sites, and mates. By better understanding what specific smells attract wasps, people can take steps to manage these pest insects.
Avoiding foods, fragrances, and materials with scents that wasps target is advisable in areas where wasps are problematic. Traps baited with attractant odors can also lure wasps away from areas people congregate.
While wasps serve an important ecological role, their stings make them a health hazard in settings like schools, parks, and workplaces. Identifying scents wasps key in on allows for smarter prevention and control of these pervasive pests.
