Wasps
The facts
That allowing any type of insect or rodent within your premises or home will obviously be a nuisance and in some cases serious illness, loss of business and in extreme circumstances, legal and civil prosecution. Although similar in size to bees, wasps are distinctive in their appearance because of their narrow waist and bright yellow and black banding. Wasps have two pairs of interlocking wings. Depending upon their species they are usually 1 - 2cm in length, the most common being the common wasp (Vespula vulgaris) and the German wasp (Vespula germanica). Wasps are aggressive when disturbed or frightened and it is not advisable to try to treat nests or infestations yourself.
Where do Wasps live?
Wasps live in nests that are typically found in roof spaces, air bricks, cavity walls, garden sheds, trees and even in rockeries and flowerbeds. The nest is usually constructed from chewed bark and dried timber mixed with saliva and is a light gray/beige colour with a papery appearance. If undisturbed and built in an unrestricted space, the nest can measure up to 90 - 120cm in circumference towards the end of the summer months. A nest this size would contain between 5,000 - 10,000 individual wasps. Nests can be found in late spring / early summer.
Why keep Wasps under control?
If you have a live nest that is not bothering you, then it is not essential to destroy it. However, nests can cause problems for your neighbours, so bear this in mind when deciding what to do. Wasps are very aggressive when disturbed and will sting. This is painful and may cause redness and/or swelling but a sting is not normally serious, unless you are stung around the face, mouth, throat or tongue or suffer an allergic reaction to stings (known as anaphylactic shock). In these cases you should get immediate medical attention, as severe anaphylactic shock can be fatal. When wasps, are busy gathering woody material for nest-building, they sometimes chew and damage the timbers of fences and buildings, and strip the bark of trees causing die-back of branches and young shoots.
Prevention & Control
Wasps nests inside buildings and garden sheds, or close to well used entrances and walk-ways, may become especially troublesome. Eventually, these nests may have to be destroyed because of the nuisance and risk they cause to people living or passing nearby. They can be discouraged from chewing the wood of fences and buildings by a fresh coat of paint or wood preservative, but damage to trees is more difficult to prevent and, again, often the only solution is to locate and destroy the nest. However, unless you are experienced in dealing with wasps, never attempt to destroy a colony yourself. If you find a nest, keep well away. There can be several thousand workers in a fully-formed colony and all of them can sting! It is far more sensible, and safer, to call in an expert.
Treatment
Contact Paramite Pest Solutions if you suspect you may have a problem and we can advise you on the best course of action. A visit by our pest control officer can be arranged. He will carry out a survey and may suggest the best action is to destroy it. Paramite Pest Solutions will take all possible precautions in the removeal of the nest. Revisits will be made until the problem is cleared.