Wasps are disappearing this summer, and scientists are worried
Biologists are observing a concerning decline in wasp populations during the summer of 2026. While data is still being collected, the lack of sightings and pest-control reports suggests a potential ecological disruption.
Why it matters
Wasps play critical roles as pollinators and pest controllers, and their decline could have significant negative impacts on local ecosystems.
Summer can be lovely - until a wasp turns up. Whether they present as an irritating picnic visitor or an uninvited loft guest, common social wasps are as much a part of our summer as festivals, sun cream and the growing despair of how to entertain children who've forgotten how to be bored.
But summer 2026 is breaking the norm, and there don't seem to be many wasps about. As a wasp biologist, I've noticed it acutely, because my students need wasps for their experiments, and we simply can't find them.
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