When Is Wasp Season in South Mimms?
Wasps that ignored you in June can seem determined to share your lunch by late summer. This guide explains the change and how to manage it.
The behaviour change nobody warns you about
Many people assume wasps are equally annoying all summer. In fact the way they behave shifts during the year, and the shift is the reason late August and September feel so much worse than June, even when the number of nests has not changed.
The calendar runs like this: queens start nests in early April depending on weather, colonies grow through summer, the peak comes in August, and then the colony begins to wind down. It is that last stage, the wind-down, that makes wasps pushy around people in South Mimms and elsewhere.
Understanding this helps because you can stop blaming yourself, or the neighbours, for the change. It is a natural stage in the life of the colony, and it explains why wasps that seemed harmless in June suddenly seem determined in September.
There is one more piece of the picture. Wasps are not the only insects at the table in late summer, and some of what people call a wasp problem is a few stray insects on a sweet drink. It is a nest, not a handful of visitors, that needs treatment, so judge by how many arrive and from where.
What the workers are doing in early summer
Early on, workers spend their time hunting and chewing up insects to feed the grubs in the nest. They are busy, purposeful and usually uninterested in you. You might see them taking wood fibre from a fence or dipping into a pond, but they rarely approach food on a plate.
Because they are bringing protein home, you will notice them on a barbecue meat or a pet bowl more than on a jam sandwich.
It is also why you may see wasps at a barbecue or at meat on a picnic table in the summer. Those are workers collecting protein for the nest, not wasps that have developed a taste for your lunch. They will usually take a small piece and fly straight off.
If you leave pet food outside, expect the same visitors. Bring bowls in after the animal has eaten.
Why the sweet tooth appears later
As the season turns, the nest has fewer grubs to feed, and the workers stop receiving the sugary liquid the grubs normally give back to them. They go looking for sugar elsewhere. That is when ripe fruit, fizzy drinks, ice cream, beer and bin liners become irresistible.
At the same time the colony is at or past its peak, with the largest number of insects in flight. More wasps, all hunting sugar, makes for a poor combination at outdoor tables.
Wasps are not trying to be aggressive when they investigate food. They are simply hungry and in a hurry. The problem is that their searching brings them into close contact with people, and a wasp that is brushed against or trapped under a hand may sting.
The sweet-seeking phase tends to last until the colony fades and the cold arrives. It is not a short blip, so it is worth planning around rather than waiting it out.
Think about where sugar is most available in your own routine: the bin outside the kitchen door, the compost heap, the recycling box with sticky bottles, the washing-up bowl on a windowsill. Moving any of these away from the house and seating makes a real difference.
Pets are affected too. A wasp in a water bowl or on a dropped treat can sting a curious nose, so keep an eye on animals outdoors in September.
Practical ways to cope
None of this removes a nest, but it does reduce the problem while you decide what to do.
- keep drinks covered, and check the can or glass before you sip
- clear plates and wipe sticky spots straight away
- pick up windfall fruit and keep compost covered
- keep bin lids closed and rinse recycling
- stay still and calm if one lands, and move away slowly rather than swatting
If you are stung, wash the area, remove the sting if you can see it and use a cold pack. If there are signs of a serious allergic reaction, such as swelling of the face, lips or throat, wheezing, dizziness or a widespread rash, call 999.
Traps are sometimes suggested, and they can reduce the numbers at a table, but they do not stop the nest producing more wasps. They are no substitute for dealing with the source.
If you hold events at home, such as a birthday or a barbecue, put the food out only when people are ready to eat and keep sweet items covered. Place the bins away from the seating and make sure no sticky bottles are left lying about.
When a lot of wasps means a nest
A few wasps drifting about is normal in September. A constant stream flying in and out of the same gap, or arriving from the same direction each hour, points to a nest close by. Look at eaves, walls, sheds and any holes in the ground near the area they use.
Do not approach the nest. Phone 07852 111 437 or fill in the online booking form. Treatment is a fixed £70 per nest, with no call-out charge, and the technician works seven days a week. If anyone in your household has a wasp allergy, say so when booking so the booking can be prioritised.
Think about what happens if the nest is on your own property. It will keep on supplying wasps for as long as it stands, and you will keep having to manage them. That is the reason to treat rather than simply cope.
Describe to the technician where the wasps seem to be coming from and at what time of day they are most active. It helps to narrow down the search.
Wasps on your property in South Mimms?
Fixed price £70 per nest, no call-out charge, same-day service available.