Calgary's hot weather encouraging larger wasp colonies

Calgary's extreme heat might provide great weather for a picnic, but it's also encouraging larger colonies of wasps to ruin the party.

"When it's very hot like this, they're very aggressive. You might get stungthey'll go after you," saidMathew Gosselin, owner ofElite Pest Control.

The number of wasp calls he's been getting has tripled since last week, and although it's typical to get a bump in business around this time in August, this year seems to be particularly bad, he says.

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Theintense heat in Calgary is likelyto help increase the size of waspcolonies during the height of what is typicallywasp season, according to entomologistRob Longairat the University of Calgary.

And that means it's harder for humans to avoid them. So, he simply advises covering food and sweet drinks at the picnic table.

"It's hard to attribute human qualities to them but they definitely seem to be a little more irritable, if you want to use that term," Longairsaid.

Wasp management

In Longair's opinion, the best way to deter yellowjackets when you're enjoying the outdoors isto keep all food and drinks covered.

"If a wasp isn't able to get food in a particular location they'll usually go and look somewhere else."

He also suggests thesetricks:

• Cut off a piece of steak or hamburger and let the wasps dine out! By placing the meat at theend of your picnic table, you'll draw them away from you and yourmeal.
• Trap them with a can of pop.Wasps are attracted tosugary drinks and will crawl through the narrow opening of the can and drown.
• Don't chase after them with a fly swatter. Longair says some waspshave alarm pheromones which they releasewhen they think they're beingattacked, drawing more of their buddies towards you.