Reports coming in from members certainly substantiate the information that the National Press carried earlier about this year’s wasp season, to the effect that large numbers of wasps were causing chaos throughout the UK.
Member’s information and our own observations indeed indicate that during the hottest spell in july large numbers made the usual visits to the barbecue, the picnic in the back garden or made a nuisance of themselves at local beauty spots, this I personaly think was because we suddenly found ourselves tried to make the most of it and got out in the fresh air.
Although the unusually mild spring enabled most Queens to survive, the nests stayed quiet small, this my colleagues and I feel was also due to the mild and very dry spell in the early spring through to mid July which slowed plant growth and the aphids and small insects that wasps rely on to feed their grubs.
As already stated most nests although small survived and we found many multiple nests at properties this year, indeed this has been echoed by many members who have reported a record number of him personally at one property, that numbered some fourteen nests (14) although he assured me he had made a slight reduction per nest which he seemed to think was a discount for quantity.
However I won’t tell you how much of a discount as you might think he is really mean (yes he was!).
We all had the usual panic calls. Like the lady who opened an old rabbit hutch door to see why wasps were going into the cage and she received both a shock as well as several well placed stings.
Amongst this years unusual places were nests in curtains, inside a wardrobe, inside an old toilet system, under a pare bed and under a sink unit.
If any members have any other observations regarding the wasp population, nest sizes or quantity of nests at an individual property we would be very interested, in fact the editorial staff will give a prize to anyone who can beat 14 nests on one property.
Today’s technicain NPTA
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