Wasps can be identified by their narrow waist, which separates the thorax from the abdomen. One of the most common types of wasps is the yellow jacket. Yellow jackets are usually black with a yellow or white stripe on their body. They have two pairs of wings and can sting multiple times if needed.
Yellow jackets nest in trees, under rocks, in attics, and in other places where they can find shelter from weather conditions and predators. Their nests comprise many combs that have either hexagonal cells or circular ones depending on the species. Each cell contains an egg which hatches into a larva that feeds on the nectar brought back by adult wasps until it becomes an adult itself.
Damage Caused by Wasps
Wasps are considered pests because they can cause damage to crops and produce by eating them during the ripening stages or pollinating them during the blossoming stages. Some species also use stings to protect their nests from predators like birds who try to attack them.
Wasps in the UK can be found in a variety of domestic environments
You may come across signs such as:
- Wasps entering and exiting the premises.
- Nests in cavity walls, flowerbeds, hedges, behind the structural cladding and commonly in loft spaces.
What is a wasp?
Wasps are insects that are related to bees, but they are not social like bees. Wasps can have a wide range of colours and patterns. They have narrow waists, which means they have very thin bodies.
The head of a wasp has antennae that help it smell and taste things. They also have mandibles (jaws) that they use to chew their food with. The thorax is the middle part of the body where two pairs of wings and six legs connect. The abdomen is the last part of the body where there are many segments and three pairs of legs attached. Wasps do not have stingers on their abdomens like bees do; instead, they have them on their rear ends!
Wasps are large (10- 15mm) buzzing winged insects, yellow and black in colouration with a “wasp waist”. They lack the fuzzy appearance of bees and nest in large colonies capable of producing up to 30,000 wasps per year. Wasps carry a powerful sting that they use when they are upset or agitated.
How do wasps arrive and where do they live?
Wasps have a larger queen (20mm) that is similar in appearance to the workers. The queen wasp will hibernate over winter and emerge around mid-April. The queen is already fertilised from the previous year and will start searching for a suitable nest site for her colony to start. Once a suitable site is located the queen will build her first nest called a “cell”. This cell is about golf ball sized and within this, she will lay her first brood.
Once this brood hatches, the wasps will make a larger nest that can contain up to 5000 individuals at any time. The nest is made of a substance similar to paper that the wasps create from dried timber and chewed bark that is mixed with saliva.
Wasps can be found throughout the whole of the UK both in urban and rural areas.
Eliminate Limited has eradicated wasps in lots of different properties, both commercial and domestic, throughout Scotland and Northern England
Wasp Treatments And Deterrents
If you have problems with wasps in your garden, The Garden Centre can help. We have all the latest products on the market to help control these pesky insects.
The most effective way of controlling wasps is to use a professional insecticide that contains either permethrin or cypermethrin. These are synthetic pyrethroids which act as contact poisons and work by disrupting nerve function in insects. They are not harmful to humans or animals when used properly, but should be kept away from children and pets.
When applying products containing these active ingredients, it’s important to read the manufacturer’s instructions carefully before you start spraying any pesticides around the garden or house. Once dry, these products will provide protection for several weeks against wasp nests and other flying insects such as flies and midges, but don’t expect instant results!
Eliminate has removed a wasp nest in many different types of environments.
Our most unusual nest (so far) was inside a juice can machine. Other weird and wonderful nests include underground inside gas boxes and inside communications conduits.
Our Technicians are highly skilled in wasp removal in Edinburgh and surrounding, having both the experience and training needed to control these stinging insects.
Insect screening will go a long way to help with issues in commercial premises without compromising on ventilation.
There are also wasp traps available that will attract wasps away from beer gardens and other hot spots such as playgrounds, parks and gardens.
Believe you may have a wasp nest in your home? Hire the wasp nest removal experts at Eliminate Solutions for a free nest removal quote.
