BILLINGS — It’s a classic summertime thing to do: picnic and eat outside. But when you sit down to enjoy your meal, there’s a lot of activity because there’s something else out there that’s after your food.
“The wasps were really bad. They’re everywhere,” said Billings resident Macy Johnson.
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Johnson and her children enjoyed their Tuesday morning at Pioneer Park, but had to escape the buzzing insects.
“They’re chasing us out of whole parts of the park,” Johnson said. “We don’t actually eat on our patio anymore because they’re everywhere.”
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The sight or sound alone may be enough to scare someone away, but these wasps will stay.
Anthony Sammartano, Yellowstone County’s horticulture commissioner, said it’s simply the time of year.
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“These wasps have huge nests. They’re full of larvae that they’re trying to eat, and their normal food sources, the insects they hunt, are starting to dwindle. So the picnics and sweet drinks that are sitting around look pretty appetizing to wasps that are trying to feed their young,” Sammartano said. “The next few early fall months are just going to be swarming with wasps. That’s pretty much the norm.”
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As annoying as they may be, the paper wasps, yellowjackets and all the other insects native to Montana that buzz around are also beneficial, Sammartano said.
“They’re wonderful pollinators,” Sammartano said. “They’re great hunters and they love all the aphids and pest insects that people find in their gardens.”
Sammartano encourages people who see insects that pique their curiosity and want to learn more to email him at [email protected] or [email protected].
