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The Conversation
The Conversation
Environment
Seirian Sumner, Professor of Behavioural Ecology, UCL

Plagues of wasps? A scientist explains why you shouldn't panic about rumours of rising populations

Thomas Hochreutener/Shutterstock

Late summer is all about BBQs, ice creams and parents counting down the days until schools open. Then along comes a wasp. There’s some screaming and flapping (mostly by the parents). Usually, no one gets stung and the wasp disappears. And yet we treat the arrival of this small insect at our picnic as if a tarantula has invited itself to tea.

It’s no surprise we act this way.

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