Wasps are probably the most familiar and least liked of all British insects and are regarded by many as pest which stings indiscriminately. In fact they do not normally sting unless they are attacked or frightened.

Wasps are beneficial in Spring and early Summer when they feed on the larvae of several garden pests. From midsummer the workers feed on fruit and are often attracted into houses by the smell of cooking.

Lifecycle

In Spring the queen (who has hibernated over Winter) looks for a new nesting site. When a suitable site is found she sets about making the nest whilst laying her eggs and feeding the grubs.

By about the beginning of July there are sufficient worker wasps to take over some of these duties and the queen then spends all of her time laying eggs. This continues throughout the summer with the nest getting progressively bigger to accommodate the increasing number of wasps.

By late summer the nest will contain several thousand workers and will be about the size of a football.

During late summer male wasps and young queens are produced. When fertilised the young queens leave the nest and search for suitable sites to hibernate over winter. The remaining males stay at the nest but as no eggs are being laid no further building takes place.

Wasps do not store food in the nest so with the onset of winter the colony will gradually die off. The nest itself will not normally be used again and presents no danger.

Treatment You might wish to treat the nest yourself using a proprietary powder. This should be puffed into and around the nest entrance ( preferably at dusk when the wasps are less active). You should do this quickly and retreat from the area as an attack on the nest will cause the wasps to attack.GREAT CARE SHOULD BE TAKEN IF YOU CARRY OUT THE TREATMENT YOURSELF.NEVER TREAT FROM A LADDER AND ENSURE THAT YOUR EXIT IS CLEAR AND SAFE.

Alternatively the Councils pest control team will treat the nest for you.

A charge will be made for this service.( See main page)