When Is Wasp Season in Kinnerley?
Wasps often seem to become more irritating in late summer, circling drinks and sweet food, and the reason lies in how the colony changes as the season progresses.
Why wasps seem more annoying in late summer
Many people describe the same thing. In June, wasps are mostly a background presence. By late August or September, they are everywhere, landing on ice lollies, buzzing round cans and crawling across jam sandwiches. It feels as if they have become more aggressive.
What has changed is the stage of the colony. By then the nest is at or past its peak, and wasps are strongly drawn to sweet food and drink. For a household in Kinnerley, as anywhere else, that means more wasps flying in your direction, and more chance of a sting when someone gets in the way.
Warm, humid days are often the worst, with wasps arriving at a table within a minute of the first plate being put down.
A rainy spell or cool snap can hide the pattern for a few days, but it usually returns when the sun does.
The change is gradual, which is why it feels sudden. Each week in July and August adds a few more wasps to the garden, until the number tips from tolerable to irritating.
The calendar behind the behaviour
Wasps begin building nests in early April, depending on the weather. A queen starts alone, workers emerge and take over, and the colony grows through summer. It peaks in August, when a nest can hold as many as 2,000 wasps. After the peak, the colony declines through autumn.
The weeks around and after the peak are when sweet-seeking is most noticeable. Food that is easy to find and easy to eat, such as fallen fruit, fizzy drinks and ice cream, is highly attractive. A large number of wasps competing for it means you notice them far more.
It is worth knowing that the sweet-seeking is not a sign of a nest closer to your property than before. It is a sign of the season. You may well find that neighbours down the road are suffering in exactly the same way.
The way to tell whether a nest is close is to look at the direction of travel. A wasp that arrives, feeds and leaves in one direction, again and again, is flying to and from a nest. If many wasps use the same route, follow it with your eyes from a distance.
What attracts them to your garden and kitchen
A short list of the usual culprits will help you to cut down on visitors.
- Open cans and bottles of fizzy drinks, squash, beer and cider.
- Ice lollies, ice cream, cakes, jam and honey.
- Fallen fruit under apple, pear and plum trees.
- Uncovered bins, recycling boxes with unrinsed bottles and compost.
- Pet food bowls left outside after a meal.
None of these is surprising, but taken together they explain why a garden can be full of wasps even when the nest is not in the garden at all.
Pets are part of this picture. A bowl of food left outside, a bone in the garden or a rabbit\u2019s fruit treat can all draw wasps. Bring food in after feeding, and wash the bowls.
If you keep a compost bin, keep the lid on, and consider moving it further from the house during August and September.
Practical habits that help
There is no way to keep every wasp away, but a few habits reduce the number that visit.
Cover food and drinks until you are ready to eat. Check cans and cups before sipping. Rinse bottles and cans before they go into the recycling, and put the lid on the bin. Pick up windfalls daily. Wipe down tables and children's hands after eating something sticky.
If a wasp lands on you or hovers nearby, stay as calm as you can. Waving, swatting and running attract more attention, and crushing a wasp can lead to others being drawn in. Move away gently, or wait for it to leave.
Children can be taught the same habits. A short explanation that wasps like sugary things, and that we put the lid on the cup and sit still if one comes near, is usually enough. Remind visitors, too, particularly older relatives who may not move quickly.
When a nest is the real problem
If wasps are numerous every day, and especially if you see a steady line going to one spot near the house, a nest is likely to be close. Tidier habits will not fix that. The nest itself needs treatment, and that is not a job for a householder.
Wasp Exterminator Shropshire treats nests for a fixed £80 per nest, with an extra nest on the same property at £40 and no call-out charge. The technician is fully insured and qualified and covers Kinnerley and the surrounding villages. Same-day service is offered, with evening and weekend appointments, and bookings can be made on 07916 322 280 or through the online form on the contact page.
Where a nest is within reach of a door or window, even a modest number of wasps becomes an indoor problem. Keep fly screens in place, and shut doors behind you.
Autumn: the tail of the season
As autumn arrives, wasp numbers fall. The nest becomes less active and the colony dies back. Even so, the sweet-seeking behaviour can last for some time, so keep drinks covered and bins closed until you see fewer wasps.
A sting is still possible in autumn. Wash the area, remove the sting if you can see it and apply a cold pack. Call 999 for swelling of the face, lips or throat, breathing difficulty, dizziness or a widespread rash.
If your garden gets busy again on warm days in October, it may mean a nest is still active. Treat it with caution, and call if you cannot find the source.
Wasps on your property in Kinnerley?
Fixed price £80 per nest, no call-out charge, same-day service available.