They sting for no reason: drunken German wasps attack local residents (3 photos)

According to experts, wasps that have drunk fermented juice are especially dangerous. In this state, they become bolder and sting people more often. Drunk wasps can be identified by three black spots on their faces.





A real wasp epidemic has broken out in the UK: thousands of German wasps, having eaten rotten fruit and alcohol, are becoming increasingly aggressive. These yellow-bellied creatures, whose bites can cause dangerous allergic reactions, are actively looking for sweet foods and alcoholic drinks.

Experts explain that the wasps are becoming aggressive due to the sudden warming and the absence of the "sweet" larvae they were feeding before the heat. Chris Davis, technical manager at Cleankill Pest Control, explained: "The wasps feed the larvae and receive a sweet reward from them. But when the larvae no longer need food, the wasps begin to actively seek out sources of sugar, which makes them aggressive."



These insects, known by their Latin name Vespula germanica, are normally rewarded with a sweet liquid called chitin for collecting food for the queen. But as the weather heats up and the queens' egg-laying season ends, the wasps lose that source and begin attacking anything with sugar in it, from fruit to drinks and sweet snacks.

Drunken wasps, who have drunk fermented juice, are especially dangerous. According to Davis, they become "very bold" in this state and are more likely to sting people. Paul Bates of the same company added that drunk wasps can be identified by three black spots on their faces, and stressed that their stings are especially painful.

"When worker wasps have finished their main work and stopped feeding the larvae, they go out hunting for fun and sweets," warns Bates. This makes them especially dangerous: drunk and aggressive, they can sting for no reason.

The average wasp nest can contain up to 10,000 individuals, and in some cases up to half a million. There are currently hundreds of millions of German wasps in the UK, compared to the 240 billion common wasp population.

Watford resident Richard Potter shared his experience of encountering an aggressive wasp last summer: "I was stung four times by a wasp while mowing my lawn. It was horrific - I was extremely itchy and uncomfortable for days after the stings."