Wasps - You'll encounter them again and again, as soon as the coffee table is set: wasps. As if attracted by a magnet, they find their way to even the most remote places and sometimes provoke almost panicky resistance by hitting or blowing, fundamentally wrong reactions.

But what can you do about your own dislike? Sitting quietly is generally the right thing to do, but who has such good control over their own body?

The German Wildlife Foundation recommends passive defence against these pests.

The Vespula vulgaris isn't named that because it's particularly nasty. Rather, "Gemein" stands for "common"! So, we're talking about a species of wasp that is particularly widespread in Germany. "Wasps are the unloved insects of midsummer," says Eva Goris, spokesperson for the German Wildlife Foundation.

And although the danger they pose is greatly overestimated, many people panic when wasps approach. If you don't want to invite them to your coffee table, you can take preventative measures. Eva Goris recommends studding a halved lemon with cloves and placing it on the table along with a sprig of basil.

"Wasps find this aroma repulsive." But you can go a step further and set a separate table. "They love grapes," says the spokesperson for the German Wildlife Foundation. "Turn the tables on them and invite the wasps! Grapes distract them and make them peaceful."

When wasps approach, there are three basic rules to follow: Don't swat at them, don't make sudden movements, and don't squash them! Even dead wasps can still sting and inject their venom. Incidentally, blowing on them toward them off is not recommended. They react with panic to the carbon dioxide in our breath. However, wasps are always dangerous for allergy sufferers – they should always be careful!

Wasps have a bad reputation.

"Unfairly," says Goris. "Their benefits are overlooked." Who knows that these creatures keep many pests away from humans? For example, the workers of the common wasp carry many thousands of insects, mostly flies, aphids, and other pests, into the wasps nest as food.

They also help pollinate flowers and are popular with birds as "food." Life for the workers in the wasp colony is particularly hard! They tirelessly carry insects into the nest to feed the larval brood. Shortly before their death in the fall, the industrious workers with the famous wasp waist want something sweet and promptly come into conflict with humans.

Therefore, the German Wildlife Foundation is calling for more tolerance and solidarity with the wasps.

Eva Goris

Press Officer

German Wildlife Foundation

Billbrookdeich 216

22113 Hamburg

Please also read:

Vid - A Day Trip to the Formerly Roman Narona

Skopje - Ottoman Rule in Üskub