Pest Control .co.uk

When it comes to pest control, many people see wasps as one of the most frightening of pests, after all others might be a nuisance or unhygienic, but wasps can actually hurt!  That is why the conservationist agency, “Buglife” is probably going to have an uphill battle trying to get people to love wasps.  The centrepiece of the campaign is that we should not be swatting wasps, we should be just wafting them away calmly.

They have timed the campaign well, because it is at this time, towards the end of summer, that wasps start to get more aggressive and start going after the sweet food, such as what we like to eat at picnics.  The queen has already laid all of her eggs, and they should all have hatched by now.  This means that the wasps do not have to gather food for them, which is usually high in protein, and instead can go for the food they really want.  Like jam, ice cream, fruit… well, you know the food they like!

Also, they’re not going to survive past summer.  Only the Queen hibernates through the Autumn and Winter, the rest of them die off.  Of course the wasps themselves are not aware of this, or then again maybe they are and so they are going for the food they like now and don’t care who they hurt to get it.  Either way, wasps do tend to become a bigger problem around this time.  If you have a wasps nest close by, do not hesitate to call a pest control expert.

Buglife points out, however, that wasps actually are important to the ecology of the country.  They are not as important as bees of course, nor are they as friendly, however it is pointed out that they are good pollinators and kill other pests, such as spiders.  They also suggest that we appreciate the colour and “drama” they bring to our lives.

The problem here is that the “drama” that they bring to our lives is more like horror – we’re the one’s screaming and running away!  Or the ones sitting still and acting cool like we’re really supposed to.  In any case, when the drama is whether something is going to sting you or leave you alone, it might be a tall order to get people to embrace that.

The insignia for Buglife's Wonderful Wasps campaign

The campaign, however, is not entirely without merit.  They certainly are pests, and if you have a nest close by you should certainly call in a pest control specialist.  However, even if you cannot find the appreciation of the wasp within yourself to prevent you from swatting at it when it comes near to you, there are practical reasons not to do it as well.  One is that if you miss, the wasp is going to be angry and probably is going to try to sting you.  So if you do try to swat, you better make sure you hit.  The other is that even if you do kill it, dead wasps let off pheromones that attract more wasps to the fight, so if there are any more wasps nearby you could be in trouble.

Having said that, if you have a wasps’ nest on or near your property, you probably won’t need any encouragement, but don’t try to grin and bear it.  The sheer number of wasps can cause a lot of problems.  Although obviously do not try to kill them yourself, call in a professional pest control technician who will be able to do it for you.  If you don’t have a nest close by though, then why not stop worrying, and love the wasp!

Tags: buglife, conservation campaign, pest control, pest control news, wasp sting, wasps

Written by Paul Simmons

Paul has been working in the pest control field for 6 years and enjoys writing about contemporary events relating to pest problems and solutions in the UK