In the heart of downtown Ellensburg, Washington, a vibrant Farmer’s Market comes together every Saturday from May to October. The whole town looks forward to it! Vendor booths full of delicious, fresh produce, handcrafted wares and mouth watering street food make for a fun atmosphere every weekend. The Ellensburg Farmer’s Market has been bringing smiles to the community for many years. But do you know what doesn’t make anyone happy? Wasp nests filled with angry, annoying disrupters of the peace flying around your family as you try and enjoy your yard and cool, quiet evenings. How can anyone enjoy the outside with the threat of painful, stinging insects flying around?
Little known wasp facts
Many people confuse wasps and bees but there are some pretty big differences between them. So let us answer some common questions about wasps.
Do wasps chase people?
Yes, if they feel threatened they will chase, attack and sting. Their eyes are specialized to pinpoint movement and they can fly faster than you can run so you really don’t have a chance in outrunning them if they are angry enough.
Do wasps bite?
Yes. Usually people feel the stings first but wasps can bite you. Their jaws are quite strong. They have been known to eat through plasterboard walls and ceilings so if you have an infestation in your attic, getting them taken care of quickly is vital.
Do wasps use old nests?
Yes. Simply taking care of the actual wasps with chemical treatments is not enough. You need to knock down and destroy their paper nests because other wasps will just use the old nest and build onto it.
Do wasps like only sweet things?
No. Most of the time wasps are attracted to sweet, fermenting fruit or garbage but in the beginning when they are building their nests, they actually eat other insects for the protein needed to produce the paper nest.
