European Wasps, was just one, now many, concerned

Question: Good afternoon,
During summer of 2023, I saw a European wasp for the first time going after butterflies in my yard.
This summer, it started out with one, and then today there were over 6 of them swarming my flowering plants and going after the pollinators. I raise Monarchs and am quite concerned about these wasps.
I have a small yard and I have searched to see if they have a nest on my property but I could not find one.
Do you have any suggestions to keep them away?
Any way to protect the Monarchs and the Honey Bees they have been going after?
I did upload a picture to confirm it is the European Wasp.
Any advice would be much appreciated. Thank you.

responder: Answered by theHome and Garden Information Center (HGIC), University of Maryland Extension. For timely gardening information and tips, subscribe to our Maryland Grows blog and quarterly newsletter. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Replied September 04, 2024, 11:11 AM EDT
response: What you are seeing is a type of hornet, which are larger and more thick than most wasps. The keyhole or teardrop marking on it says it is a European Hornet. Here is our page where you can learn more about them:  https://extension.umd.edu/resource/social-wasps-yellowjackets-hornets-and-paper-wasps/  As you have noted on your property, their   nests tend to be in places unseen, like within tree cavities, perhaps far from your property. They do feed on other insects, but also enjoy ripe fallen fruit and sap. We hear about them most often at this time of year as they can strip bark from lilac and birches to sip sap. (This does not hurt the tree.  I did find this article, written by a research scientist at University of Georgia, reminding that predation is a natural part of the lifecycle (though it's easier to accept that with a native predator, European hornets have been established here for 100 years): https://www.monarchscience.org/single-post/2019/07/07/the-wasps-eating-monarch-caterpillars-in-my-yard-are-also-saving-my-trees  So we have not heard that they are a threat to pollinator populations or have researched based recommendations on what to do, but wonder if putting out over-ripe, rotting apples or pears, figs, etc. might draw them towards the fruit as opposed to the  caterpillars/butterflies that you are raising.  You might inquire within garden interest groups or Monarch Watch or the like for their thoughts.   Christine

responder: The Question Asker Replied September 05, 2024, 6:41 AM EDT
response: Thank you Christine, I may try putting some ripe fruit out to draw them away from butterflies. And yes, it is disheartening to see them going after the pollinators.I did read they have been around for a long time, we just have never seen them before in our area of Catonsville.Thank you again for your help.Kathleen On Wednesday, September 4, 2024 at 11:11:20 AM EDT, Ask Extension wrote:

responder: Answered by the Home and Garden Information Center (HGIC), University of Maryland Extension. For timely gardening information and tips, subscribe to our Maryland Grows blog and quarterly newsletter. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Replied September 05, 2024, 8:22 AM EDT
response: You're welcome.