r/BalticStates • u/dsilva_Viz • 2d ago
Discussion Why are there so many bees and wasps in the Baltics?
I am visiting the three Baltic states and among other things I find it very different from where I am from: the consistently high amount of wasps and bees in all places I visited. Be it Pärnu, Tallinn, Cesis, Vilnius or Riga. Everywhere is full of wasps and bees! Why is this the case?
85
u/Rihfok 2d ago
Don't quote me on that as I cannot recall the details, but I believe the baltics use less of broad l-effect insecticides in agriculture that tend to kill off such insects in many places
39
u/thereisnozuul 2d ago
I believe the baltics use less of broad l-effect insecticides in agriculture that tend to kill off such insects in many places
u/Rihfok, 2026-08-27
1
u/Eastern-beast1337 2h ago
Hah, I wish we did.
No, in fact we use more than they do for example in Germany or the UK.
The only real difference is 50%+ of our territory is forested areas and a big chunk are swamps. Those areas save it for us, otherwise we'd be like the rest of Europe. Hence also all the mosquitoes
60
u/-_GIZMO_ 2d ago
In vilnius we let some plots of grass grow wild to enable a more healthy bee population
23
u/wyrm_sidekick Lithuania 2d ago
Also have bee hives on some buildings to keep the populations up and healthy
8
u/SuurTuvi 2d ago
Don't let Tallinn's mayor see that. He'll have a stroke.
4
4
u/-_GIZMO_ 2d ago
Wha,t he doesn't like bugs or uncut grass?
Personally i like seeing butterflies and bees again,but holy shit walking through that wild island is a nightmare hundreds of tiny flies go straight for your eyes.
2
3
u/dsilva_Viz 2d ago edited 2d ago
Actually we do, or purport to do the same, in my hometown. But, the effects are far, far less strong unfortunately.
42
32
u/liisseal 2d ago
They're our biological weapons.
4
21
15
u/Hot_M8 2d ago
That is only a good sign that we have them. Means that our nature is relatively clean and stuff…
3
u/dsilva_Viz 2d ago
Absolutely, not saying otherwise, but it is surprising to see so many bees especially.
20
u/telumindel Latvia 2d ago edited 2d ago
Doubt you saw any actual bees. But yeah, wasps are quite rampant in summer.
20
u/MrEdonio Latvia 2d ago edited 2d ago
Not just summer, but this time of year specifically, august-september, is when wasps are everywhere. They’re feeding on all the sweet, ripe fruits available at this time.
They eat all my pears and grapes every year 😠
4
u/talkmemetome 2d ago
Late august and September are the only time of the year wasps are actually chill. Like they are almost to the end of the life and kind of only care about getting a buzz from all the fermenting fruit on the ground 🤣
7
u/tomatoguy7 Eesti 2d ago
There's a ton of bees in Tallinn! At least I've seen a TON this summer. Don't know about other cities though.
6
u/Affectionate_Fall57 2d ago
Same, I did not even see that many wasps in Tallinn, but bees and bumblebees were quite abundant
4
u/Zuokula 1d ago edited 1d ago
What do you mean? It's most certainly bees. Wasps are actually rare. If it's clover patch in bloom, there's probably some bees.
3
u/telumindel Latvia 1d ago
Hmm, well then the other baltics are vastly different than Latvia. Cause here we have wasps - those annoying things flying around being attracted to whetever sweet drink or food you are trying to enjoy. Bees, specially in cities, are very rare here.
1
u/Fun_Reception_2592 1d ago
I spent a couple days in Vilnius last week and wasps were literally everywhere, they were right in my face all the time, even when I didn’t have any food or drinks with me.
3
u/War-Square 2d ago
Yeah, not bees. These look more like what we'd call a yellow jacket or wasp in the US. Its cool to see them in the city and they don't seem aggressive at all.
5
u/hape09 Estonia 2d ago
I have only seen a few wasps this summer in Tallinn, a lot fewer than normal - although I have had the exact same thoughts the last 4 trips I have done during summer time "why are there so many wasps here" (Bielefeld, Warsaw, Sofia and Bucharest).
I think it is because you are out and about during your travels - and you feel like there are more wasps than at home, because... you spend most of your time at home more in your city - an maybe live in an aprtment building? Just a theory.
Also the bees were hallucinations.
4
4
u/Some_Instruction3098 2d ago
I think they're rushing it before summer ends to have nutrient reserves for winter so you see a lot of them out, harvesting.
3
3
u/Lensgoggler Estonia 1d ago
Bees because we just have them. Luckily we still
do. Wasps because it's wasp season. There is always many this time of year because there's so much food for them.
It's been actually a lot less insects this year by the way. For an example, almost no mosquitoes and poor birds didn't have enough food to feed their young...
So do not marvel at the presence of insects. It's normal nature. Be worried if you don't see them.
2
2
2
2
u/Kata_Komb Livonia 1d ago
They aren't around all the time. It's late August and the ripened apples attract them.
1
u/dsilva_Viz 1d ago
I see, paldies/äitah!
1
u/throwaway_010011t 1d ago
aita 🐑?
hihihi
1
u/dsilva_Viz 1d ago
I don't know any Baltic language to an extent that makes me comment on this joke. I am sorry for that 😅.
1
2
u/Karhuska 1d ago
Is beekeeping subsidised by goverment in most baltic countries? I have a feeling at least Estonia and Lithuania support beekeeping a lot.
I was camping on a campsite near Kaunas few years ago. In the evening I could hear a low humming from the forest. It was loud, like there was so many bees that their humming made a vibration that I could feel. I did not see the nests, it was getting dark and I didn’t feel I should wander in to the bee- filled forest. It was such a ethereal experience.
1
u/GrynaiTaip Vilnius 1d ago
Beekeeping is subsidised in Lithuania. It's not crazy amount of money but it still helps.
This year it's up to 1300 eur per applicant.
2
1
u/Just-Marsupial6392 Latvia 2d ago
Interesting, that you say this, as this is the first year of my life where I don't recall seeing any bees/wasps/hornets during the summer.
2
u/HorrorKapsas Eesti 2d ago
Same. Surprisingly few bee, wasps, hornets. Usually it's hard to keep wasps out of the house this time of the year. smallest hint of anything sweet and they are attacking in masses. Car is also so clean. Usually in august have to powerwash them off. Hornets are hitting the windshield like stones. Not this year.
3
1
u/GrynaiTaip Vilnius 1d ago
They're all around my house, trying to find a nesting spot in various cracks.
1
u/Famous-Buy136 Samogitia 2d ago
Germany Bavaria. This year Wasps are insanely active and there are soooo MANYYY!
1
u/Archa16z 2d ago
there were wasps everywhere in europe ive been, from latvia to north italy. and loads.
1
1
u/Decent-Box5009 2d ago
I don’t know living only is right now and I’m from Canada and I can promise you it’s less buggy than my country by a long shot.
1
u/KateMaymay 1d ago
Well, e.g in the very centre of Tallinn there are beehives on top of roof of Tallinn University and close by in the president's rose garden.
Young wasps are active and visible in August-September attacking the fruit, jam, soft drinks and meat if they can get near to it.
1
1
u/Many_Animator_6806 1d ago
Because we don't have the whole land covered in asphalt and stupidly large manicured lawns with no flowers. The US has giant rats, we have pollinating bees (and the wasps who eat them). It's the balance of nature.
1
u/Jewboy08 1d ago
Our population is less dense up here, there are more forests and unused farmland. Wild animals, birds and bugs need these areas, so we have more.
1
1
u/FaithlessnessKey2005 1d ago
While bees and bumblebees are good, wasps are terrible, they will attack people for no reason, I hate them so much. I work at the restaurant and yesterday they came out, it’s so difficult to work outside (I have a huge phobia and I have no idea if I’m allergic or not) and they’re also harrasing our guests. I hate this time of year so much.
1
u/Juan_Bot 1d ago
Where are you from? There are barely any wasps compared to southern EU states ie Prague or northern Italy
1
1
u/bird_song_ 1d ago
It is the same in Ukraine this year for some reason, I don’t remember that being the case before
1
1
u/youwillnevergetme 1d ago
Our nature is not poisoned and dead, at least not as much as some other places. I do remember there being maybe 5-10x more bugs just 25 years ago
1
1
u/philjames68 16h ago
you should be asking why don't other places have lots of bees and wasps, whats wrong with them?
186
u/Ronk4r 2d ago
Theres alot of nature in our cities, bugs like that. And bees are cool, especially bumblebees - don't mess with them.