In late summer, many garden owners observe that many wasps settle on the cherry laurel, clean themselves, crawl over the leaves in search and finally fly away again. We will tell you why the animals are magically attracted to the laurel cherry.
Wasps love everything that tastes sweet
In addition to protein-rich food to rear their brood, the wasps need carbohydrates as "musekel fuel". That's why insects are so interested in everything that tastes sweet. Because of their mouthparts, the wasps are dependent on food sources that are easy to reach.
The cherry laurel has nactal glands outside the flower. Via these extrafloral nectarines, it secretes a concentrated sugar solution that is a real treat for wasps, ants and many other insects
The main ingredients of the plant sap are:
- fructose (fruit sugar)
- glucose
- Sucrose (cane sugar)
- flavorings
- minerals
The concentration of sugar in the plant sap depends on the climatic conditions and soil composition. This explains why there are so many wasps in some laurel cherries, while the bushes at another location are apparently spurned by the insects.
Wasps can signal aphid infestation
In addition to sweet plant juices, wasps and ants drink the sweet excretions of aphids. Due to the digestion and drying up after excretion, honeydew contains a comparatively large amount of sugar, the concentration can be up to 90 percent.
tips and tricks
Wasps occasionally build their nests in the dense foliage of the cherry laurel. Since the insects are important beneficial insects, you should only remove an inhabited wasp nest if it poses a danger. Please refrain from destroying the nest and have it relocated by a specialist if necessary.