WHAT are wasps?
Wasps are a yellow and black striped insect around 15mm long. A group of wasps is called a colony, where there will be one queen and up to 10,000 workers. Wasp larvae eat insects and worker wasps eat a sweet liquid secreted by the larvae, as well as nectar. However, often you may see wasps on wooden surfaces like fences. This is because their nests are made of paper. A wasp’s defence mechanism is a sting which can be painful and uncomfortable which is why getting rid of wasp nests is advised.
WHERE to find wasp nests?
Sheds, lofts, wall cavities, disused burrows, bird boxes and tree cavities are some of the most common nest spots in the UK. Wasp nests found in building cavities are dangerous as wasps can scrape through plasterboard into the internal rooms. Even in the garden, it is always best to get a wasp nest removed by a professional to limit the chance of getting stung.
WHEN to look out for wasps?
Queen wasps appear in early spring after hibernating over the winter months. A nest will be established in early spring. Throughout spring and summer, as the number of workers increases, the nest will continue to grow in size. You are most likely to notice an increase in wasps in the summer months.
WHY are wasps a problem?
Wasps are a problem because of the way the nest increases in size and numbers as the year progresses. When wasps sting or are killed, the scent of the venom makes other wasps in the colony more aggressive therefore we always recommend getting the nest dealt with by a professional. Wasps can and will sting repeatedly if threatened, but just one sting can be dangerous to some people causing anaphylactic shock.
HOW to spot a wasp nest?
If you are seeing many wasps entering and exiting a particular point, this is likely to be a wasp nest. Try not to get too close as this may aggravate the wasps. DO NOT try blocking off the point of entry as this is only putting yourself at risk and will not solve the problem and will only make it worse. Similarly, spraying the flying wasps is not a solution as soon new larvae will hatch as the colony continues to grow. Signs of scraping on fences or other wooden surfaces would indicate there is a wasp nest nearby. With 20 years of experience, we are experts at spotting these nests, so we are happy to assess any situation.