Noticing more wasps in Ontario? Here's why
If you’ve noticed more wasps than usual lately, or that the wasps you encounter seem more aggressive, there's a reason.
It’s wasp season in Ontario, and University of Toronto entomologist Dr. Daryl Gwynne said, while there’s no indication of more wasps this year over others, the late summer and fall seasons are when “worker” wasps tend to be most active.
“They're out foraging and hunting for meat to bring back to the hive’s larvae, and … they also need sugary stuff for fuel themselves,” Gwynne said in an interview with CTV News Toronto Wednesday.
Gywnne called this time of year “the perfect storm” for wasp activity, but underlined the insects are just trying to survive and likely aren’t looking to sting humans.
“The stinger is mainly to defend the hive. They're not out to sting you, but they will [sting] if they feel trapped by your hands,” he said.
“You can shoo them, but don't constrain them with your hands because you will get stung.”
Dr. Rosalind Murray, an assistant professor of biology at the University of Toronto, told CTV News Toronto that, while the “hungry, grumpy” wasps’ behaviour might seem more aggressive to us, they’re important pollinators, and people should do their best to avoid killing them.
“I know they're not as cute and cuddly as a bumblebee,” Murray said. “But these are important pollinators, not just mean, stinging things.”
“Obviously, if you need to remove a nest due to its proximity to humans, that’s one thing, but if you come across a single wasp, try not to kill it.”
WHAT TO DO IF YOU’RE STUNG BY A WASP
Gwynne notes, unlike honeybees, wasps do not lodge their stinger within their victims.
While many stings do not need medical attention, they can cause serious issues for those who are allergic.
“I have been stung many times having studied wasps and I haven’t done anything,” Gwynne said. "The worry would be those who have anaphylactic shock of course."
If you are stung and began to experience swelling that moves to other parts of the body, especially the face or neck, difficulty breathing, and/or dizziness or a drop in blood pressure, the Ministry of Health advises seeking immediate medical attention.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Maple Leafs fall to Bruins in Game 3, trail series 2-1
Brad Marchand scored twice, including the winner in the third period, and added an assist as the Boston Bruins downed the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2 to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round playoff series Wednesday
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
New Indigenous loan guarantee program a 'really big deal,' Freeland says at Toronto conference
Canada's Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland was among the 1,700 delegates attending the two-day First Nations Major Projects Coalition (FNMPC) conference that concluded Tuesday in Toronto.
'Life was not fair to him': Daughter of N.B. man exonerated of murder remembers him as a kind soul
The daughter of a New Brunswick man recently exonerated from murder, is remembering her father as somebody who, despite a wrongful conviction, never became bitter or angry.