August 8, 2025, 4:36 pm | Read time: 5 minutes
Wasps are probably among the least popular insects. They not only nibble on ham or jam–compared to bees, they sting relatively quickly. Some people seem to fall victim to them more often. They are practically pursued by wasps. PETBOOK editor and biologist Saskia Schneider reveals why this happens.
Why Do Wasps Bother Us at All?
In Germany, there are several hundred species of wasps–but people are usually bothered by only two species:
- the German wasp (Vespula germanica) and
- the common wasp (Vespula vulgaris).
While many other wasp species primarily catch insects for their offspring or satisfy their sugar needs at flowers, the German and common wasps do not shy away from snatching meat or sausage from the breakfast table. Later in the year, you will find these insects increasingly at sugary foods like fruit cakes or lemonade. I’ve explained why this is in detail here: Why Wasps Are Drawn to Meat and Sausage in Summer.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t stop at nibbling. Often enough, people are stung during visits to the table or on the picnic blanket–even if they are not eating anything and are behaving calmly. But why?
Why Wasps Sting So Quickly
Why Some Bees Are More Prone to Sting Than Others
Why Some People Are Practically Pursued by Wasps
Wasps usually pursue people when they have something edible or a sweet drink in hand. It helps to put down the sausage or drink can and slowly move away. Sometimes, wasps also follow people who have nothing to eat with them. This is often due to certain scents they carry.
Sweet Scents in Cosmetics
Perfume and cosmetics like hair gel, skin cream, and sunscreen can contain scents that attract wasps. Wasps are drawn to these scents:
- Floral scents: Even though they are not major pollinators, wasps visit flowers to satisfy their sugar needs with nectar. Therefore, they are attracted to floral scents.
- Fruity scents: The fructose in ripe fruits provides wasps with energy, making fruity scents irresistible to them.
There are many other scent components that can attract wasps, which we might not even notice in perfumes and cosmetics. This includes the scent of fermented fruit or certain carbohydrates. 1
Alarm Scents in Cosmetics and Alcoholic Drinks
When wasps sting, they release a so-called alarm pheromone. This is a specific scent that signals other wasps nearby: “Warning, danger here–here is the enemy!” These pheromones usually consist of several scent components, not all of which have been identified. According to a 2010 Italian review study, one of the main components of the common wasp’s alarm pheromone is N-(3-Methylbutyl)acetamide.
This compound is also found in certain foods, especially alcoholic beverages, including wine. It is also possible that these or similar scent molecules are present in cosmetics. This is likely one of the main reasons why wasps target and sting some people, even when they are completely calm. 2
Bright Colors
Colorful clothing can also be a reason why wasps pursue some people. Wasps perceive yellow and green tones well. They can also see ultraviolet light waves, unlike humans. Therefore, white clothing can attract wasps. Red, on the other hand, is uninteresting to them, as they do not perceive this color–it appears more like black to them.
Personal Scent
Some people have a certain personal scent that attracts wasps or even prompts them to sting. Whether it’s due to body sweat or specific pheromones is still unclear. As a beekeeper, I often observe that certain individuals are practically pursued by our honeybees–and wasps–even when the colonies are otherwise gentle.
How Do I Protect Myself When a Wasp Pursues Me?
Since food is usually the main reason wasps pursue people, it often suffices to put down your drink or sandwich and store it in a wasp-safe manner. Important: Stay calm; frantic movements can lead to wasp stings. Unlike honeybees, which die after stinging, wasps have little to lose. They are much quicker to use their stinger.
Most people find it particularly unpleasant when insects fly directly into their face. This happens because wasps detect the scents of food in our breath. It helps to slowly hold your hand between your face and the wasp and then try to gently push the insect away–without touching it. Blowing is not a good idea, as the CO₂ content in our breath can prompt wasps to sting.
A water spray can also help to drive away wasps. The idea is that the insects get the impression that it’s raining and leave. Unfortunately, this is short-sighted, as wasps are not foolish. They return relatively quickly. In the end, you have two options:
- Find areas that are wasp-safe, or
- offer the insects an even more attractive source where they can feed–a kind of sacrificial plate.
Warning: Feeding wasps risks attracting more to the table–you must be able to tolerate this. Wasps also remember the location and time of feeding and reliably return daily.
Otherwise, try to avoid hair gel, perfumes, or strongly scented creams if you notice that you are often pursued by wasps even without food or sweet drinks in hand. More tips on how to keep wasps away can be found with the colleagues at myHOMEBOOK.
My Brother-in-Law Is a Wasp Magnet
“While grilling, I noticed some time ago that wasps seem to have a preference for certain people. In this case, it was my brother-in-law. While everyone was sitting at the table and serving themselves, he was more occupied with keeping wasps away from himself. When he retreated to the arbor to eat in peace, the wasps disappeared. When he came back out to get more, they suddenly reappeared. Very curious.”