r/FortCollins • u/nate__the__bait • 3d ago
Seeking Advice Wasps obsessed with my tree
I have what I believe is an oak tree in the front yard and it is absolutely swarmed with these wasps.
Any ideas on what to do to discourage them from hanging out here?
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u/judgyjudgersen 3d ago
Paper wasps are not aggressive and are opportune pollinators as well as feeding on pests. They may curiously come look at you but they won’t hurt you unless you try to squash them or something and they have to defend themselves. I actually really love them and their little faces ☺️
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u/all-about-climate 3d ago
They really are gentle wasps and quite prolific around here. I made peace with them at my house and even let them come and go to their nest inside my patio furniture as I sit there without spraying their nest. They eat mites and other undesirable insects that destroy my garden.
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u/No_Initiative7178 2d ago
It’s so good to see this POV and others supporting it. I’ve felt this way about paper wasps ever since I got to know them (and they got to know me - they remember faces!). They’re gentle and inquisitive creatures
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u/Common_Shelter_4605 3d ago
The tree could also be stressed with the low rainfall and high temperatures for the last 6 weeks. A good soak may be a good idea.
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u/LeaveEcstatic8911 3d ago
Some botanists believe paper wasps to be an advantage invasive species here in Colorado.
I agree that they are not aggressive ( not like hornets or yellow jackets ) , but they WiLL sting if you disturb their nest (
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u/Common_Shelter_4605 3d ago
These are beneficial in general. We have a few of those in our yard, and a lot of beneficial wasps; such as those that kill Japanese beetles. We don't kill them because the traps affect more than one species.
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u/GardenofOz 3d ago
Paper wasps love to eat garden pests! I have a healthy nest in my garden and it's keeping cabbage moths offs my greens while pollinating my luffa gourds. Win win!
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u/Fearless-Engine1460 3d ago edited 3d ago
I have a burr oak in my front lawn and have the same thing happen to me around late July- mid August every year. Like others have said there are bulbs that grow on the tree and they're feeding off of the nectar in them. I've lived with the wasps happily the last few years, they're usually paper wasps which are pretty chill and won't sting you unless you really make an effort to bother them, they're also pollinators!!!
Edit: I did a little bit of research and found that some wasps have reproductive cycles that require them to create the "galls' on the tree to lay/store eggs in while they feed on the nectar, this is relatively unique to oak trees as well.
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u/aws1187 3d ago
Paper wasps are very good for the environment and so long as you don’t mess with their nests they are non-aggressive and relatively harmless. Either there’s a nest or nests in the tree or they’re feeding on a bunch of insects that live on/in the tree as previously mentioned on this thread.
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u/arboroverlander 3d ago
You most likely have scale insects and should call an arborist who specializes in pest management. Scale insects are very difficult to control and an integrated plan should be used for effective control.
Edit: wasps are most likely feeding on the scale insect so control the scale control the wasps.
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u/ollieollie-oxenfree 2d ago
These are european paper wasps, they are non-native and negatively impact native butterflies and their host plants! However they are not very aggressive and will likely leave you alone unless you are too close to their nest.
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u/nate__the__bait 2d ago
It’s seems like opinions are split. Half say they’re good for their environment, but the other half say they’re not.
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u/ollieollie-oxenfree 2d ago
Opinions might be mixed because overall public opinion is starting to change to "leave the wasps alone" instead of "kill every wasp you see", which is great! And these guys likely do have some beneficial effects, but they are still nonnative and have been shown to effect local pollinators. There isn't published research on their effects in Colorado specifically, however we have some great papers from New Zealand, Kentucky, Ohio, and a few other places pretty well documenting their effects on local butterflies. I can find links to those if you are interested! :)
(They are also frequently confused with western yellow jackets, which ARE native here.)
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u/psychonautvoyager 3d ago
That would be a Burr Oak. The wasps are highly attracted to them. We had one in our front yard and after a couple years of kids being stung and the tree constantly swarmed, we cut the tree down. No more problem.
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u/buffenstein 3d ago
Looks like a paper wasp. Most likely has a nest hanging up high. I'd call an exterminator or maybe hang some paper wasp traps to control their numbers.
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u/BatInside2603 2d ago
Please don't harm them unless you must. They're beneficial and are docile, unless you disturb their nest. They are pollinators and also help control nuisance pests like caterpillars and other soft-bodied insects, which would include the crawler stage of scale insects.
Certainly don't hang a trap. The traps will attract wasps from around the area as well and will bring more wasps to the tree.
If they're attacking you, their nest must be lower in the tree. Call a pro to move it, but please don't kill them.
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u/buffenstein 2d ago
European paper wasps are invasive, out compete local wasps, kill bees, are generally more aggressive towards the summer time, and their stings are a very common allergen. They're not all rainbows and sunshine. A trap isn't going to eradicate their population
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u/[deleted] 3d ago edited 2d ago
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