Are Wasps Dangerous? Understanding Stings and Nest Disturbance in Billington
Pets cannot be told to keep away from a nest, so the responsibility falls to the household, and a little forethought prevents a miserable and sometimes worrying incident.
Why animals get stung
Dogs tend to investigate with their noses and mouths. They snap at flying insects, dig at holes in the ground and push into hedges. Cats pounce on anything that moves. Rabbits and small animals in outdoor runs may be in the flight path without anyone realising. A wasp or a nest has no meaning for a pet, and it will not be deterred by a warning.
Billington, in Bedfordshire, is an area where many households have gardens and outdoor space for animals, and the same applies in any garden. The best defence is controlling where the pet goes.
Cats are particularly good at finding wasps. Many a cat has been stung on the nose or paw after batting at one on a windowsill, and a swollen paw is a surprise for an owner. Keeping windows and doors closed when wasps are around, and using screens on the ones you open, helps.
Reducing the risk day to day
- Keep dogs on a lead near any known nest or wasp activity.
- Block off areas with wasp traffic using a gate or fence panel.
- Do not allow pets to dig around holes in banks or lawns.
- Keep pet food and water bowls indoors, or at least clean, as wasps are drawn to food.
- Do not leave meaty or sweet leftovers in the garden.
- Watch pets outdoors in late summer when wasps are most numerous.
Be careful when exercising pets along paths and edges where nests may be hidden in the ground.
Walks are another point of risk. Verges, hedgerows, field edges and old trees can hold nests, and a dog that sniffs along the base of a bank can set one off. Keep an eye on the ground, and if you see wasps rising from one spot, call the dog back and change route calmly. Do not try to look closer.
If a pet is stung
Move the animal away from the wasps first, then check where it has been stung. Swelling around the face or mouth, difficulty breathing, repeated vomiting, collapse or marked distress call for an urgent call to a vet. Even if the pet seems fine, a sting in the mouth or on the tongue deserves veterinary advice.
Do not give human medicines to an animal. Follow your vet’s guidance, and keep their out-of-hours number to hand. This company treats wasp nests only and cannot advise on animal health.
Signs to watch for after a sting include a swollen face or muzzle, pawing at the mouth, drooling, vomiting, wobbliness or unusual quietness. Any of these is a reason to ring the vet. When you telephone, say where the sting is and what the animal is doing, and follow the advice you are given. If the pet is in distress, do not delay.
Other animals around the home
Outdoor animals such as rabbits, guinea pigs, chickens and horses can be affected if a nest is near their housing. Move animals away from the area if you can do so safely and talk to your vet. Do not approach the nest to ‘check’ it.
If you are a keeper of larger animals, remember that vibration from machinery, the animals themselves or vehicles can disturb a nest.
Livestock and horses can panic when stung and may injure themselves or a handler. If a nest is in a field boundary or near a stable, tell anyone working with the animals and keep them away until it has been treated.
Large animals can be stung inside the mouth by wasps on feed or in water troughs, so check where wasps are gathering around yards.
Your own safety while helping a pet
It is natural to rush towards a distressed animal, but a pet that has disturbed a nest may be surrounded by angry wasps. Stop and look before you go. If there are many wasps, call the animal away rather than going to it, and wait until the wasps settle. Your stings will not help the animal.
A colony can hold as many as 2,000 wasps at its peak, so a pet that has stumbled into a nest can bring wasps with it. Close the door behind you.
Make sure everybody in the house knows the plan: who rings the vet, who keeps the other animals back, and who stays clear of the nest. A moment of confusion helps nobody, least of all the animal that has been stung.
Aquariums, hutches and bird cages near open windows can also attract wasps, because of food. Keep them clean and covered where possible.
Treating the nest
Once a nest is found, have it treated. The price is a fixed £70 per nest, with £30 for each additional nest on the same property. It is confirmed on the phone before a visit, with no call-out charge, and no work is done without your agreement. Special access equipment, if needed, may mean a higher price.
Technicians are fully insured and qualified. Same-day service, evening and weekend visits and emergency bookings are available seven days a week. Phone 07852 111 437, or use the online form or contact page, and mention any pets so the technician knows what to expect.
After the visit, ask the technician when it is safe for pets to use the area again, and keep them away until then. Fill or flatten any hole only when you are told it is safe.
If you rent, tell the landlord or agent about the nest and the presence of pets, since your tenancy agreement may say who arranges treatment. The company can treat the nest once the person booking has agreed, and animal welfare is a good reason to move promptly.
Wasps on your property in Billington?
Fixed price £70 per nest, no call-out charge, same-day service available.