While many of us are terrified of wasps and dread eating outside in the summer months, there really is no need to worry. When the sunniest beer gardens feel like a nightmare, remember these key facts and one crucial piece of advice to keep those pesky wasps at bay.
Fact number 1.
Ever heard the phrase 'they're nothing but pests!'? This couldn't be more wrong. Wasps are master pest controllers and pollinators, playing a key role in maintaining and benefitting our ecosystems. There are tens of thousands of species worldwide and while there are some pretty creepy ones, here in the UK we are lucky enough to have only species that are relatively harmless.
Fact number 2.
Wasps are great communicators. They live in huge colonies, with thousands of wasps and they look after each other, which is why they may seem quite intimidating at times. When a wasp feels threatened or under attack, they can call their 'gang' using pheromones (chemical signals which can trigger behavioural or social responses by other wasps), who will come to their rescue.
Fact number 3.
Only female wasps can sting, but they can do so multiple times. A wasp does not set out to sting and will only do so in self defence, when feeling threatened or under attack, so 'flapping' your arms when they are close by - while a natural response for some - is literally the worst thing you can do! A wasp will feel threatened and this increases the risk of them stinging.
Fact number 4.
Wasps change their reasons for being annoying, over the course of the summer season, depending on their physical needs. In the early summer, late April/May, they seek protein for their larvae. By late summer they are mostly on the forage for sweet, sugary foods, for energy after their hardworking season.
Key Advice for a peaceful, wasp-free summer
If you hate being disturbed by wasps while picnicking in the sunshine, this simple action could mean peaceful eating from now on!
A small offering, each time you eat outside. In the early summer, place a small piece of ham on a plate away from your table and keep the wasps at bay. They will go to the ham, take it away to their larvae and leave you alone.
Later in the summer, change your offering to jam and the same thing will happen!
Happy wasp-free Summer!