Wasps

Generally thought of as a pest. However in reality they are a very sociable insect.

Biology

Wasps are colonial insects living in social groups. The overwintering queen makes a small starter nest from paper made by mixing wood and saliva, and establishes each colony in the spring. The colony grows throughout the summer and the nest with it.  Many thousands of individuals are associated with each nest, with the workers feeding on nectar, sweet materials and, at certain times, insect larvae and other animal pieces. The colony develops males towards the end of the summer to mate with presumptive queens, which, when mated, overwinter to start a new colony the following year.

Wasps can cause alarm when present in large numbers and where the nest is in a place where the insects can interfere with humans.

They can inflict painful, dangerous stings, especially to those people with allergies. When sting is inside the throat, the effect can be fatal.

Whilst there are now many methods on the market for the amateur to kill wasp nests, it is not a recommended exercise to carry out, unless you are very confident that you know what to do, and how to do it properly. Mainly because if the wasp nest is a decent size i.e. anything around the size of a small football upwards, it can host many thousands of wasps, which if not treated in the correct manner will almost definitely attack the person trying to kill them.

Please leave it to the experts