Wasps are some of the most feared insects in every garden, home, and park. Their stings can be incredibly painful and when one attacks, unfortunately there’s probably going to be more. But they are also incredibly fast. Which makes you wonder, can you run away from wasps? What happens if you try to?

We share interesting information about the incredible flying abilities of wasps. We’ll look at how fast they can fly and what they do to move so quickly. More importantly, we’ll discuss whether you’re best running in a frenzied panic, or slowly stepping away with ice-cool nerves. Regardless, Truly Nolen is here to help with all of the wasp control issues you may discover.

How Fast Can Wasps Fly? And How Do They Do It?

We’ll bet some of this information will surprise you. Most wasp species tend to fly at just a few miles an hour. On average, yellow jacket wasps will fly at around 7 miles per hour. Hornets move a little quicker, and they’ll fly at around 14 miles per hour on average. But remember that this is just their average speed: wasps are unfortunately also capable of flying much faster! It’s incredibly rare, but if the conditions are right, yellow jacket wasps can fly up to an astonishing 30 miles per hour. This is rare though because wind factors would need to be highly in their favour. They’d also need to be particularly hungry, and extremely annoyed as well.

Wasps actually have two sets of wings which they use to fly at such fast speeds. These involve a larger set of forewings and a smaller set of hindwings that are attached to their thorax. A unique muscle contacts there and moves the wings incredibly fast.

Can You Outrun a Wasp ?

So can you outrun a wasp? Let’s try and work out the math behind it. Humans can run around 20 miles per hour on average. On average, a yellow jacket wasp will fly at around 7 miles per hour. So that being the case, you’ve got a pretty good chance of outrunning it, right?

Unfortunately, those averages aren’t the same for the elderly and for children. This also assumes that a wasp is flying at its average speed. If you’re really unlucky, it could be flying much faster. You might also be suffering from an injury, or you might have threatened a swarm of wasps instead.

Either way, your best defense is to try and run away from wasps in a calm manner. Human beings have a natural response to threats: fight or flight. If you try to fight, then we’re pretty sure this is a battle you’re going to lose. Don’t flail your arms around like a cartoon. Try to run as quick as you can in one direction and do not think that submerging yourself in water is a good idea either. Wasps aren’t stupid, and when you need to come up for air they’ll be waiting with their stingers ready.

Call Truly Nolen and Keep Those Wasps Away

To make sure that you don’t ever get into a footrace with a swarm of angry wasps, contact Truly Nolen and let us take control of all your wasp control issues.

We promise to make sure that your property is wasp-free and safe for everybody. After our technicians conduct a thorough search of your property, they’ll identify and remove nests safely. You can enjoy your home and your garden without worrying about your average sprint speed.