Page 16 - Oundle Life July 2021

A STING IN
THE TAIL
Invasion of the wasp kind
A wet and cool spring followed by a long, hot summer is great news for farmers and for those of us with fruit trees. But it’s also pretty exciting if you happen to be a wasp. The common wasp (Vespula Vulgaris)
lives in colonies which grow throughout the summer and can cause serious
alarm when present in larger
numbers or when colonies
are close to humans. Many thousands of wasps can serve a single queen and commonly their nests are concealed
in hard-to-reach places, sometimes underground or in cavities in properties or lofts.
Wasps react aggressively to being disturbed and can attack in swarms in this situation and are very likely to inflict a painful sting, which can be dangerous to those with allergies. Indeed a sting in the throat can be fatal. Under
no circumstances should anyone but
a qualified pest controller attempt
removal of a wasp nest.
can swarm when provoked.
Hornets mainly feed on insects and do not swarm. Wasps are quick to sting
and can sting repeatedly, and are common
in late summer. Hornets usually sting only when provoked and are seen between May and
Identification is rarely a problem with wasps, which have a black and yellow abdomen pattern, black head and
thorax, six legs and heavily-veined wings. An adult wasp is similar in size to a worker honey bee at 12-15mm in length. Bees have hair on their thorax, wasps do not. Queen wasps are larger than the workers, at around 20mm.
There are several differences between wasps and hornets. Hornets are larger than wasps at 20-30mm. Wasps are black and yellow with little hair, whereas hornets are more normally chestnut brown and yellow with some hair. Wasps tend to feast on food waste, fruit and sugary substances and some insects, and
Wasps are quick to sting and can sting repeatedly
September. However a hornet sting really packs a punch and like wasps, an individual can sting you multiple times.
Never tackle a wasps’ nest yourself. Wasp nest removal should only ever be tackled by an experienced and qualified pest controller who has the right
protective clothing and the correct professional strength extermination products. One visit
is usually enough to exterminate a wasp nest colony and treatment is guaranteed as long as we can find the entrance to the nest.
Pest Professionals is a local company based in Warmington that is highly experienced in wasp nest removal. Any pest problems, around your home or business, give Colin a call on 01832 770483, or 07538 688106.
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