Wasps are buzzing aggressively around Ottawa as summer nears its end. Experts say this is the point in the insects’ life cycle that they’re the most aggressive, and it leads to conflicts with humans. “There’s a ton of them this year,” said Ottawa resident Britney Gordon. And residents say the problem isn’t just in Ottawa. “It’s mostly our front yard and all over our cars. To be honest, I think maybe it’s tree sap. I have no idea, but it’s bonkers. And it’s not just here. We’ve talked to family across Ontario, and they’re experiencing the same thing,” Gordon said. People who work outdoors are no stranger to wasps. For Sebastien Prevost, a day on the job means dealing with constant stings. “I honestly lost count. It happens sometimes and you don’t even notice and you’re like oh, I got stung. And you notice later,” said Prevost, an employee with J.R. Lawn and Snow. He says the work itself seems to attract wasps. “All the grass cutting, a lot of the apple juices that we get. So, there’ll be some trees that have apples dangling from them. And the wasps love that. And they’ll come and they’ll stick to us because all the juice is on us, on the equipment, and they’re flying around all the trucks,” he said. Pest control companies say this is a busy season for them. Putting out wasp traps can add a layer of protection, but experts say results may vary. Jason Costantini, Orkin Ottawa service manager, says to help prevent wasps from making a home near your house, remove excessive clutter like wood piles and debris, and ideally keep fruit trees further away. He says calls specifically about yellowjackets are higher this year compared to 2024. If a wasp approaches, aggressively swiping at a wasp can be a bad idea. “If you’re going to swipe, you’re going to want to maybe do it, slower motions, not quick motions, because they identify that as a threat. There’s a chance that they, obviously, will sting you, but they can also release a pheromone. That kind of warns the other wasps that this object is a threat and come help defend me,” Costantini said. Doctors say most stings aren’t serious, but there are exceptions. “Usually when people get stung, it’s not a dangerous reaction. It will be a local reaction. Painful, swollen,” said Dr. Moshe Ben-Shoshan, an allergist and immunologist at the Children’s Hospital of Montreal. Dr. Ben-Shoshan says most stings can be treated with antihistamine, but severe cases may require an EpiPen or emergency care. “Usually problems breathing, vomiting within a few minutes of two hours after being stung, and sometimes loss of consciousness. When you have at least two systems involved in the reaction, like hives and problems breathing or hives and vomiting, we speak about anaphylaxis,” he said.
