Don't swat at them, apparently.
Rentokil has warned the public to treat wasps with caution at this time of year as late summer is when they are most likely to encounter the flying insects.
While wasps are around early in the summer, they're less likely to bother your home and BBQs earlier in the year.
Seirian Sumner,
Professor of Behaviour Ecology at University College London, explains that this is because wasps are buzzing away at other jobs in the early summer months.
During the early and mid-summer months, wasps are busy providing protein to their baby siblings and spend their time hunting other insects and feeding the larva.
In exchange, the larva release a carbohydrate-rich sugary secretion which the adult worker wasps feed on, becoming addicted to the sugary food.
But as the summer progresses, there are more worker wasps than there are larva meaning that the wasps begin to look further afield for sugary food, away from the colony. They do this by visiting flowers, and almost accidentally, by visiting your BBQs, picnics and other food you leave lying around uncovered.
“A wasp sting can be a painful experience and can be particularly upsetting and frightening for young children," Richard Faulkner, Advanced Technical Field Consultant for Rentokil said.
He outlined a few steps people can take to avoid stings from wasps.
- Do not panic - If you find there are wasps nearby keep calm and move slowly away.
- Do not scream, flap your arms or swat them - This will agitate wasps and make them more aggressive.
- Avoid strong, sweet smells – Avoid using highly perfumed fragrances, shampoos, or hair sprays.
- Avoid bright colours - Do not wear bright, bold floral patterns on clothes and bags, which could attract wasps.
- Keep your bins covered – Wasps will gather around uncovered bins to seek food.
- Avoid open drinks - If drink cans or bottles are left unattended, it may encourage wasps to crawl inside. Never leave sugary drinks unattended. Also, always check sugary drinks for wasps before consuming.
- Cover food and drink - Always keep food and drink covered when eating outdoors to deter wasps.
- Stay clean - Ensure children’s hands and faces are cleaned after eating food and drinks.
