Common Wasp

Vespula vulgaris

Often maligned, wasps are actually valuable garden predators, feeding their larvae on caterpillars, aphids, and other pests that damage plants. In autumn, they switch to seeking sugary foods as their protein needs decrease, which is when they become more interested in human food. A single wasp colony can consume up to 5 kilograms of insects per season. They’re also minor pollinators, visiting flowers for nectar. Queen wasps are the only ones that survive winter, spending cold months hidden in crevices before emerging to establish new colonies in spring.