Are Wasps Dangerous? Understanding Stings and Nest Disturbance in Eversholt
Wasps do not become angrier as the year goes on, but a colony’s size and routine change, and the end of summer is when most people notice them.
The August peak
Wasp colonies grow through the summer and reach their largest in August, with as many as 2,000 wasps in a nest. By then the young have been raised and there is less brood-rearing to do. Workers spend more time away from the nest searching for food, and more of them reach gardens, bins and picnics.
That is why late summer feels like a wasp season. The wasps are not hunting people, but there are many more of them, and they are looking for sweet things as the natural supplies dwindle.
Eversholt’s gardens, like any, can have wasps feeding at windfall fruit, bins and compost. Seeing many wasps in one place does not necessarily mean a nest on your own land.
Why they seem more bothersome
Early in the season wasps collect protein to feed larvae, and are not particularly interested in your drink. Later they look for sugar. This shift brings them to cans, ice cream and fruit. It also means they hang around people more, and the more time they spend close, the more chances for an accidental sting.
Eversholt is a village in Bedfordshire, and gardens with fruit trees or compost heaps may find them especially popular.
Watch for wasps drinking from damp spots, dripping taps and pet bowls in dry spells. They are after water as well as sugar, and a bowl left out can bring a crowd.
Natural sugars from fruit and the lack of protein later in the season are the reason for the change of habit. People often feel that wasps have turned nasty, but they are simply doing something different.
September and the breakdown of the colony
As autumn nears, the queen stops producing workers and the colony begins to fail. Workers may become slower and seem to wander, drawn to anything sweet. They can still sting. New queens leave to find a place to spend the winter, and the old nest is abandoned.
People sometimes think this is a time when wasps are harmless. It is better to stay careful until the cold sets in, and to watch for nests that are still active near the house.
A tip for householders: if you take down garden decorations, birdfeeders or old wasp traps in autumn, shake them out first, as stragglers may be sheltering in them. Leave them outdoors for a day before moving them inside.
Queens look for dry, quiet places to sit out the winter, such as sheds, lofts and outbuildings, and sometimes come indoors. A single sleepy wasp found in a box of decorations in winter is usually a queen. Open a window or put her outside; she is no threat, and she is not building a nest in the cold.
What to do with the extra wasps
- Cover food and drink outdoors and check cups.
- Keep bins sealed, and rinse out bottles and cans.
- Collect fallen fruit promptly.
- Do not swat; move away calmly.
- Close windows near fruit trees and bins in the afternoon.
- Hang washing on a dry day and shake it out before bringing it in.
If numbers are very high around one spot, look for a nest within view, and keep away from it.
Keep a simple rule for yourself: look before you sip, look before you sit and look before you step.
If you are hosting an outdoor event in September, think about where the food will sit relative to bins and fruit trees, and keep the sweet items covered until the last moment. Wasps are usually drawn by the smell first and the sight second.
Nests that need action
A nest that is still active in September is worth treating if it is near where you walk, sit or park. The colony may not last, but it may still have a few weeks of full activity. Treatment is a fixed £70 per nest, with £30 for each additional nest on the same property, confirmed on the phone first, with no call-out charge. Nothing is done without your agreement, and difficult spots needing special access equipment may cost more.
Technicians are fully insured and qualified, and the company is open seven days a week with same-day service, evening and weekend appointments, and emergency bookings. The number to ring is 07852 111 437, and the booking form or contact page will do just as well. Mention any allergy to stings.
Keeping calm in the final weeks
The weeks around the end of the season can feel the most annoying, because wasps are everywhere and the weather is still good enough to be outside. A few habits make a difference.
Use a lid on every drink. Wipe tables as soon as people have finished. Put out a separate bin for sweet waste, away from the seating area. Do not eat or drink straight from a can or bottle without looking, and offer children cups with lids or straws.
Check fruit trees and bushes frequently. Windfalls ferment on the ground and draw wasps in large numbers. If you have an apple or plum tree, pick up fruit daily, and wear shoes when you walk beneath it.
Let anyone with an allergy know to stay clear of these areas altogether, and keep their medication to hand as their doctor has advised.
If you have a nest on your property, remember that the colony does not die all at once. It declines over weeks, and the last of the workers can be the most erratic. Keep away from the entrance until it has been treated or until you have been told it is safe.
Finally, use the quiet weeks of autumn to check the house for gaps that a queen might use in spring: eaves, air bricks, gaps in pointing and loose soffits. Mending them before winter costs less than dealing with a nest next summer.
Wasps on your property in Eversholt?
Fixed price £70 per nest, no call-out charge, same-day service available.