Wasps

 

• What do they look like?
• How do you spot them?               
• Where do they live?
• How do they live?
• Do wasps do any real harm?
• How do they affect me?
• How do I get rid of them?
• Fareham Borough Council Pest Control
• Private Pest Control
• Practical Advice
• Further Information/Book an appointment

                                                                     

What do they look like?

Small winged flying insect with a sting in its tail.  It makes a distinct buzzing noise.

There are several species of wasps and some of these are up to 30mm in length. Their eyes are kidney shaped, they have two pairs of wings, the hind wings smaller than the forewings. The wings are folded longitudinally at rest and the mouth parts are adapted for chewing and licking. They can easily be distinguished from mining bees because of their pointed body and waist.

How do you spot them?

Wasps are social insects with a queen, which is much larger than the workers, starting a new nest each year. Nests are constructed of wasp paper made by chewing wood and other plant debris mixed with saliva.

Where do they live?

Typically, wasps nests are found in earth banks, in buildings (roof spaces or cavities in walls), in trees or bushes.  They build nests every year, with the colder months killing off workers and males.  Only the young queens survive the winter to make a new nest the following spring.

How do they live?

The fertilised queen wasp emerges from hibernation around mid-April and searches for a suitable site for a nest. The queen rears the first brood of worker wasps by herself and upon hatching these workers will carry on the building of the nest. The queen, the only wasp able to lay eggs, will remain in the nest laying more eggs for further broods. The more workers there are the quicker the nest will grow. By late summer the normal wasp nests will contain from 3,000 to 5,000 individuals and be up to 30cm across. With cooler weather, the workers and mates may become tired and aggressive towards anyone interfering with them. The cold winter weather kills off all the workers and males - only the queen survives.

Do wasps do any real harm?

Wasps do have a useful role scavenging for the larvae of other insects, controlling garden pests and clearing carcasses early in the season.  They even dispose of rotten timber if available.  However, they may carry disease picked up during their visits to dustbins, bottle banks and carcasses and can contaminate food if allowed to settle on it.

 

A wasp sting is caused by the injection of poison into the victim, causing redness and swelling.  In some case more serious effects occur and you should seek medical advice if this happens.

 

Repeated stings can cause anaphylactic shock. Symptoms include respiratory distress, swelling of the face and vomiting with abdominal pain. Medical assistance should be sought immediately where anaphylactic shock is suspected.

How do they affect me?

Wasps cause a nuisance for various reasons.  it is usually the late summer when the workers do not have to feed the larvae with high protein food, and they can indulge in sweet substances - fruit, jams, syrups etc.  They enter kitchens in search of sweet food, and while not particularly hostile, they will sting if aggravated.

 

As the cooler weather comes, the wasps become more irritable, and this is not helped by them feeding on over-ripe fruit, giving them the appearance of being 'tipsy'.  Again they are better left alone when in this condition.

 

Earlier in the year the only nuisance caused by wasps is minor damage done to wooden fences, for example, and wooden fabric of buildings when the wood is needed to build nests.

 

Wasps upset a lot of people because of the risk of stings and the insects' apparently aggressive behaviour.  Health risks vary from person to person; however, most people who are stung suffer only localised swelling and brief pain that can be alleviated using remedies available from chemists.

 

If you have a serious allergic reaction from a wasp sting, you should seek immediate hospital treatment and afterwards take advice from your doctor about preparing for any future stings.

 

Wasps are most likely to sting when their life cycle is ending later in the year and so it is best to deal with nests as soon as you see them, rather than waiting until they increase in size.  Old nests are not reused and do not need to be dealt with or removed. 

How do I get rid of them?

Although wasps are troublesome to us it would be unwise to destroy nests without good reason. Wasps are controllers of far more injurious pests of forestry, agriculture and gardens. If the presence of a nest is causing no direct problems, then it is best left well alone. Wasps' nests are abandoned at the end of the autumn.

You can dispose of individual wasps using domestic insecticides, although this will not control or eliminate the colony itself.  Ideally the whole nest and colony should be destroyed and we recommend that professional help is sought here as the risk to an untrained person dealing with a wasps' nest can be significant.

Fareham Borough Council Pest Control

Fareham Borough Council Pest Control Officers will call and treat for wasps. 

 

We are not legally obliged to provide treatment and must therefore impose charges to cover our costs. 

 

People on Income Support, Job Seekers Allowance or Pension Support/Credit may not have to pay, please ask when booking.

 

Private Pest Control

If you would like to employ a private pest control company to remove wasps in your property we would recommend that you get at least three quotes, make sure you know whether the charge is fixed or by the hour and ask if there is a guarantee attached to the work.

 

Whilst we cannot recommend a particular company the following two trade organisations have a code of conduct which their members should adhere to when dealing with customers.

 

These organisations may be able to assist in finding contractors or helping should any disputes arise.

• National Pest Technicians Association (NPTA) (this is an external hyperlink)
• British Pest Control Association (BPCA) (this is an external hyperlink)

Practical Advice

Destruction of a wasp's nest should not be undertaken by untrained persons. If wasps are causing a problem it is advisable to contact the Environmental Health Department.

Stings should be treated with antihistamine creams.

Wasp stings around the throat can lead to respiratory obstruction which may cause faintness or vomiting. In these cases you should seek medical assistance.

Further information

If you would like to make a pest control appointment or require further information on any of the above, please contact us by email at regulatory@fareham.gov.uk or by telephone on 01329 236100.