Wasps:
Wasps are one of the most evil insects and everybody should try to avoid them when possible! Unlike bees, wasps are aggressive and can repeatedly sting you without causing harm to itself. This can be dangerous considering some people are allergic to wasp stings and in severe cases, they could cause anaphylactic shock and death. Wasp venom also contains pheromones which means they attract other wasps and could cause a swarm! The chances of this are higher when families are out and about BBQ-ing in the summer. Make sure you don’t mistake bees for wasps – wasps are bright yellow and black with long ovular bodies. Whereas bees are rounder, furry and a darker orange.
If you spot a wasp nest, it’s best to do something immediately, and we do not recommend trying to tackle them yourself. They often nest in secluded areas (usually higher up) such as lofts and chimneys, but you do sometimes find them in mice or rabbit burrows. Anywhere that provides warmth near a building is a potential home for wasps. The nests tend to appear in spring when the Queen (always the largest wasp) wakes from hibernation. They live until the coming winter when they die off due to a lack of food – dying flowers. Their diet is made up of flies, caterpillars and other invertebrates, as well as sweet substances.
FACT: There can be up to 30,000 wasps a year in one nest!
Queen’s are much more likely to survive the winter months, but can be killed by spiders invading their spaces. However, the chance of survival is still quite low and around 2 out of 4500 sexually mated Queens will survive every year. As soon as the Queens wake, they will build their nest by pulping wood into papier-mâché with their saliva.
If enough food is bought into the nest, wasps will progress from larvae quicker. Queens then coordinate with nests countrywide to decide when to create the next generation of Queens and male wasps (drones). A scientific phenomenon! Whilst the female wasps work, male wasps mate and die afterwards due to their reproductive organs exploding. They use facial recognition to prevent cross-breeding and stop breeding once the future Queens and drones leave the nest. This results in the death of the rest of the colony.
TIP: Wasp stings are alkaline, so find a substance with acid to neutralise the pain. One such example is deodrant with aluminium.
There is no particular way to prevent wasps, apart from cleaning up after cooking and eating. Please give us a call and we will save you a lot of unnecessary pain by using protective clothing and chemicals to treat the nest!
Bees:
Bees on the other hand are quite gentle-natured and are reluctant to sting if threatened, as it will kill them. They prefer a diet of flowers, so are less likely to bother you when you’re enjoying a summer BBQ.
Unlike wasps, bees prefer lower ground spaces when nesting, such as burrows and under garden deckings. They live for about a year and are very social insects. They also have a hierarchy like wasps do, with a Queen at the top. Queens are always the largest, usually seen feeding on flowers post-February or searching for a place to nest. Once the Queen decides on a space, she will stock the nest with pollen and nectar and lay her eggs. Like a bird, she will incubate the eggs with her warmth until they hatch.
Females take reign over males in the bee world and are given more food than the males, so that they may become Queens of the next generation. By autumn, the next generation of Queens burrow underground whilst the rest of the nest and the previous Queen die off.
There are numerous bee species in the UK including honey bees, red mason bees and many more. Certain types of bees such as the honey bee are facing extinction due to pesticides, so it is important that we try to preserve their life. Honey bees are responsible for pollinating plants, which in turn sustains our planet. Without honey bees, we ourselves could face extinction!
Firstly, we recommend looking at other removal options before deciding on eradicating them. They are harmless if left alone and will usually leave their nesting space in Autumn and not return. However, depending on the situation, we can assist with relocation of the bees and in the worst case, eradicate them if necessary. There is not much you can to do to prevent them, but the sooner you recognise you have an infestation, the easier it is for us to move them!