FWIW, Wasps are being looked at differently and seen at this point as on par with bees in terms of benefit to the farm and garden.
Aside from being very effective pollinators they feed their young all types of pests that harm plants in the garden and the field. This is super beneficial free pesticide treatment that has no detrimental environmental impact. Here';s some of what's on the menu:
- Grubs
- caterpillars
- aphids
- Blow fly larvae
- house fly larvae
The challenge is finding a way to live in harmony with them. If their nest is disturbed they are gonna not be friendly. If the nest is in a high traffic area this can be a challenge. We try to leave as many nests intact as we can and only remove a nest if its in a super high traffic location. Our garden really sees the benefit of this.
Additional reading and reference:
https://www.growveg.com/guides/why-wasps-are-good-for-gardeners/https://extension.psu.edu/programs/...s-bees-and-wasps-have-their-benefits-too
