Are wasps aggressive?

Wasps are generally not aggressive in sense of seeking out humans to sting, but they can be defensive and will sting when they feel threatened, when their nest is disturbed, or when they are provoked, and social wasps like yellow jackets and hornets are more defensive than solitary wasps. Wasps are predators that hunt insects and search for sugars, and they usually ignore humans unless they perceive threat to themselves or colony, so if you leave them alone and do not swat, they will typically fly away. However, social wasps defend nests vigorously and will become aggressive and sting repeatedly if nest is disturbed, releasing alarm pheromones that attract other wasps to defend, which can appear as aggression but is colony defense. In late summer, wasps become more persistent around human foods and drinks seeking sugars, which can lead to stings when people accidentally swallow or press wasps. Solitary wasps like mud daubers are very docile and rarely sting humans. So wasps are not inherently aggressive, but they are defensive, and risk of sting increases if you disturb nest, swat at them, or trap them against skin. To avoid aggression, keep food covered outdoors, avoid wearing strong perfumes that attract wasps, move slowly near wasps, do not disturb nests, and if nest is near home and poses danger, contact professional pest control for safe removal rather than attempting to kill wasps yourself.