Drunk Wasps Go on a Stinging Rampage

Wait… What?!

Believe it or not, this is not click bait… wasps really are getting intoxicated and terrorizing people in “drunk rampages.” But how are they getting drunk? And what are drunk wasps really like?

How are Wasps Getting Drunk?

During summer picnics and backyard barbeques, it’s a common occurrence to have wasps crawling into coke cans and other drinks. These stinging pests are rather partial to sugars and enjoy consuming sweet beverages just as much as we do. In nature, wasps consume a special sweet substance from wasp larvae, fruits, and nectar in order to satiate their sweet tooths, but as these natural food sources have become unavailable, the wasps are instead indulging in decaying and fermented fruits leading to their intoxication. In addition to this, some outdoor pubs in the UK have reported that wasps have even started to target their ciders and fruity beers, drinking unattended drinks and flying around drunk.

The Drunk Rampage

Wasps aren’t naturally built to consume alcohol, making them extreme lightweights that can become intoxicated with as little as one sip of the fermented substances. Unfortunately, those who have experienced these drunken wasps report that they are certainly not “happy drunks.” Instead, wasps become very agitated and far more likely to sting without any provocation, leading to many cases of “booze-fueled” stinging rampages.

What Can You Do to Avoid Drunk Wasps?

In order to avoid the potential of having drunk wasps in or around your own home, experts suggest the following:

• Ensure that sugary food waste and compost are disposed of properly in sealed containers
• Try to use sealable drinking vessels when consuming ciders and other fruit-based beers outdoors
• Have your local professional pest control safely remove any wasps’ nests around your home

Citations

Baker, M. (2018) Why drunk wasps are on the rampage in Britain, SomersetLive. Available at: https://www.somersetlive.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/drunk-wasps-plaguing-britain-after-1878393 (Accessed: May 27, 2021).

Petsko, E. (2018) Wasps Are Getting Drunk and Terrorizing People in England, Mental Floss. Available at: https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/554179/drunk-wasps-stinging-people-in-england (Accessed: May 27, 2021).

Wharton, J. (2018) Wasps are super angry because they’re getting drunk on rotten fruit, Metro UK. Available at: https://metro.co.uk/2018/08/08/wasps-super-angry-getting-drunk-rotten-fruit-7815081/ (Accessed: May 27, 2021).