When Is Wasp Season in Llanfyllin?
Days out, picnics and walks fall in the same months as the wasp colony reaches its peak, so a little seasonal planning makes outdoor time easier.
Summer plans and wasp numbers
The months when people most want to be outdoors are the same months in which wasps are most numerous. A warm weekend in July or August is ideal for a picnic, a walk or a family trip, and it is also when the colony is large and wasps range widely in search of food.
For people in Llanfyllin, in Powys, Wales, and for visitors to the area, a little planning can keep wasps from spoiling the day. This article does not aim to alarm. Wasps are part of the summer, and most encounters are minor. It simply helps to know when the season starts and ends, and what to do when a nest is close to where you live.
Visitors who come for the hills and the open air will find the same advice useful, even if they are only here for a weekend.
Hot, still afternoons are when wasps are most active, so a lakeside, a field edge or a garden table can all be affected. The aim of the advice below is to help you enjoy those afternoons rather than avoid them.
Spring and early summer: quiet but busy
Wasps start building nests in early April depending on weather and how mild the spring is. A queen builds alone at first, in a gap in a wall, a bush, a tree, a roof space or a hole in the ground. In spring and early summer, few wasps are about, and picnics are rarely disturbed.
This is the period to walk round your own home and look for nests. Check eaves, sheds, hedge bottoms and any holes in banks or lawns. A nest found now is small and easier to deal with, so a few minutes of looking is worth it.
If you rent out a holiday cottage, a campsite pitch or a guest room, it is worth the same early walk-round before the first guests arrive. A nest at the entrance, in the porch or near the barbecue area is better dealt with before visitors do.
Commercial and holiday properties are covered by the business, in the same way as private homes.
High summer: planning a picnic
By July the colony is larger, and in August it peaks, with as many as 2,000 wasps in a nest. Wasps are attracted to sweet food and drinks, so a picnic with fruit, cake, squash and cans is likely to draw their attention.
- Keep food in sealed containers until you are ready to eat.
- Pour drinks into cups with lids, or use bottles with narrow necks.
- Check cans and cups before drinking from them.
- Put used plates, wrappers and fruit skins into a bag and seal it.
- Avoid wearing strongly scented products if you can.
If a wasp lands near you, stay calm. Waving and swatting tends to make things worse. Move gently away, or let it leave on its own.
Children\u2019s picnics need a little extra thought, because sticky fingers and sweet drinks are very attractive. Wipe hands after eating, and keep cups covered. Teach children to walk away calmly rather than flap their arms.
If you are eating near a hedge, bank or old wall, choose a spot a little further away. A picnic rug beside a ground nest is an unfortunate surprise.
Walking, cycling and camping
Many walkers and cyclists pass close to hedgerows, banks and verges, where ground nests are common. If you see wasps flying in and out of a small hole at the side of a path, give it a wide berth and tell others in your group. Do not poke or tread near it.
Dogs are particularly curious about holes in the ground. Keep them on a lead if you spot a busy entrance. If someone is stung, wash the area, remove the sting if visible and apply a cold pack. For swelling of the face, lips or throat, difficulty breathing, dizziness or a widespread rash, call 999. People with known allergies should speak to their GP about precautions.
Camping brings its own risks: food stored in the tent, bins by the pitch and sweet drinks left out overnight. Pack food away and keep waste sealed, as you would for other wildlife.
Cyclists should keep a lookout for wasps near the verges on hot days, particularly on slow climbs where there is no breeze.
Autumn: decline, but not gone
As the weather cools, the colony declines. Fewer wasps are seen at the nest, though some remain active and keep looking for sweet food for a while. An autumn picnic or walk is generally easier than one in August, but it is still worth covering drinks.
If a nest near your home is quiet in autumn, do not assume it needs no attention while wasps are still using it. Keep your distance until it is clearly inactive.
If you notice a nest at a holiday property after guests have left, arrange treatment before the next arrivals.
If a nest is near your home or business
A nest in a garden, shed or wall is a different matter from a stray wasp at a picnic. Wasp Exterminator Shropshire offers treatment at a fixed £80 per nest, with an additional nest on the same property at £40 and no call-out charge. The technician is fully insured and qualified, and one visit is guaranteed.
Domestic and commercial customers are welcome, with same-day service, seven-day opening, and evening and weekend appointments. Contact the business on 07916 322 280, or through the online form on the contact page, and say that you are in Llanfyllin or the surrounding area.
Anyone with a known allergy to wasp stings should say so when they book, so the booking can be prioritised. No response time is promised, but the request is taken seriously.
Wasps on your property in Llanfyllin?
Fixed price £80 per nest, no call-out charge, same-day service available.