When Is Wasp Season in Bicton?
August is the point at which a wasp colony is at its largest, and understanding what is happening inside the nest explains why the month feels so difficult.
Why August?
If you ask people when wasps are at their worst, most say August. They are right. The colony that began as a single queen in spring has by then grown to its full size. A nest can hold as many as 2,000 wasps, and every one of them is working to feed, defend and maintain it.
For a household in Bicton, a village near Shrewsbury, that matters because a nest that went unnoticed in May can be impossible to ignore by August. It may have been quietly growing in a loft, a wall or a bush, and it has now become busy enough that its traffic shows.
It is useful to remember how small the nest began. A nest that has 2,000 wasps in August began with a single queen in April. That growth explains why a problem that could have been dealt with in spring turns into a large one in summer.
How the colony reaches its peak
Wasps start building in early April depending on weather and how mild the spring is. The queen builds a small nest and rears the first workers, who then take over the building and feeding. From then on the colony expands steadily, adding layers and cells as the number of wasps rises.
By the time August arrives, the nest is large and the flow of wasps in and out is heavy. That is why a nest that you could have missed in June can be a major presence in August.
Weather plays a part, though no one can predict exactly how. A warm spring may see the colony grow earlier, and a cold one may delay it. This article does not claim to know what the weather will do in a particular year or place. The sequence of events stays the same, even if the dates move around.
For that reason it is better to watch the nest than the calendar. If wasps are flying in numbers around a gap in your house, the season has begun for you, whatever the month.
What the peak looks like at home
The signs are generally unmistakable.
- A constant stream of wasps to and from one gap, hole or bush.
- A loud humming from a wall, loft or hedge.
- Wasps coming indoors, particularly in the warmer rooms.
- Wasps gathering around bins, drinks and fruit in large numbers.
- People being stung, often when they are not even close to the nest.
If these describe your property, assume that a nest is nearby and that it is at or near its peak. Keep a safe distance and keep others away.
Think about where people sit, walk and sleep. A nest above a bedroom window, beside a back door or near a washing line is a bigger problem than one at the bottom of the garden. Say so when you book, since it tells the technician how urgent the visit is.
Wasps that get indoors in August often gather at windows. Do not swat them. Open the window and let them leave if you can do so calmly.
Why defensiveness rises with numbers
Wasps defend the nest as a group. The more wasps there are, the faster a disturbance spreads through the colony and the larger the response. A swat, a knock, a vibration or a ladder against the wall can all prompt a response.
That is why August stings are often worse than spring ones. It is not that individual wasps are different, but that there are many more of them, and they respond together. This is the main reason to leave the nest alone and to ask for a professional to treat it.
Fear of stings is natural, and it is reasonable to be cautious. For most people a sting is painful rather than dangerous, but for some it is not. Anyone with a known allergy should speak to their GP, and a household with an allergic member should treat a nest as urgent.
If someone is stung, wash the area, remove the sting if you can see it and apply a cold pack. Swelling of the face, lips or throat, difficulty breathing, dizziness or a widespread rash means calling 999.
What to do in the peak weeks
The advice is simple. Do not approach the nest. Close windows near it. Cover food and drinks. Keep children and pets away. Note where the wasps are going, and book.
Wasp Exterminator Shropshire treats nests at a fixed £80 per nest, with an additional nest on the same property at £40 and no call-out charge. The fixed price is the same in August as it is in April. Insurance and qualifications are in place, and the visit comes with a one-visit guarantee.
Same-day service is offered, seven days a week, along with evening and weekend appointments. Call 07916 322 280 or use the online booking form on the contact page. If you are allergic to wasp stings, or someone in your household is, say so when booking.
The technician covers Bicton and the villages around Shrewsbury. Domestic and commercial customers are both served, which includes farms, pubs, shops and offices where a large nest can interrupt a working day.
After the peak
From late August into September, the colony starts to decline. Numbers fall slowly, and by autumn the nest is far less busy. It is tempting to wait it out, but a nest can remain a danger for several weeks, so treat any active nest with caution.
Once the nest has been treated, ask whether the empty nest can be taken down. In spring, keep an eye out for new nests, since those are far easier to deal with than August ones.
A useful note for the diary: if you had a nest this year, look at the same spots in early April next year.
Wasps on your property in Bicton?
Fixed price £80 per nest, no call-out charge, same-day service available.