When Is Wasp Season in Dode?
If anyone in your household reacts badly to wasp stings, the season is a source of worry for months, and a plan for each stage can make it easier to live with.
Why allergy changes the calendar
For most households, a wasp nest is an annoyance to be dealt with in good time. For a household where someone is allergic to stings, it is a different matter, and the timetable is tighter. There is no point in waiting to see whether the nest grows, because the entire point is to avoid any sting at all.
Wasp nest-building gets going from late April, depending on how the weather behaves. The colony grows through the summer, peaks in August, becomes keen on sweet food and drink in late summer, and declines in autumn. An allergic person in Dode, or anywhere else, has reason to take each stage seriously, starting with the earliest.
This article is general safety information, not medical advice. People with a known allergy should speak to their GP about their own situation.
Spring: act while it is small
The best protection is to prevent a large nest from forming near your home. Early spring is the best time to deal with nests, and for an allergic household it is doubly true.
From the end of April, make a habit of walking round the property and looking for the beginnings of a nest:
- A wasp flying repeatedly in and out of a gap in the eaves, wall, chimney or shed.
- A hole in the ground at the edge of a lawn or bed with wasps going in and out.
- Activity in a tree, bush or hedge close to the house.
If you see anything like this, do not wait to see what happens. Make the call, and say at the time of booking that someone in the household is allergic. The client's advice is to mention it so the booking can be prioritised.
If there is any doubt about an insect you have seen, send a photo from a distance or describe it when you call. It is better to ask a question that turns out to be unnecessary than to sit and worry.
Summer: reducing the chance of a sting
Between June and August, the focus is on keeping a safe distance and limiting contact. An allergic person does not need to stay indoors all summer, but a few habits help.
- Keep windows nearest any suspected nest closed, especially in the evening.
- Check cups, cans and bottles before drinking from them.
- Wear shoes outdoors on grass, as wasps can be on the ground.
- Walk away slowly if a wasp comes close. Do not swat or flap.
- Keep food covered and bins closed.
- Make sure everyone in the household knows where any nest is.
Keep well back from any nest that is still active. Wasps can swarm and sting if they feel threatened, and nobody in the household, allergic or not, should be checking the nest.
Consider a few extra precautions on warm evenings, when people are often outside with drinks and food. Sitting a little further from a hedge or the side of the house where wasps are active, and choosing a closed cup over an open glass, are small adjustments that cost nothing.
August and September: the highest-risk weeks
At the peak, a nest can hold from 2,000 to 10,000 or more wasps, and in late summer wasps are more interested in sweet food and drink, so contact with people goes up. For an allergic household, these are the weeks that call for the most care.
If there is a nest on your property, do not leave it until the end of the season. Book as soon as you have found it. Wasp Exterminator Kent offers same-day service and is open seven days a week, and the online form can be used to ask for emergency service outside normal office hours. Tell them about the allergy when you do.
Do not rely on the autumn decline. It is gradual, and an active nest is still a hazard in September and beyond.
Late summer is also when visitors arrive. Guests may not know about the allergy or the nest, so tell them. A short word at the gate saves awkward moments later, and it means they will not wander toward the nest while looking for the toilet or a quiet spot to sit.
If a sting happens
Know in advance what you will do. Reading it for the first time in a crisis is too late.
For an ordinary sting, wash the area, take out the sting if you can see it, and use a cold pack.
Call 999 immediately if there is any sign of a serious allergic reaction. These include swelling of the face, lips or throat, wheezing or difficulty breathing, dizziness, or a widespread rash. Do not wait to see whether it passes.
People with a known allergy should discuss it with their GP, including what to keep at home and what to do in an emergency. This site cannot advise on medication, and nor should anyone guess. Make sure everyone in the household, including older children, knows the plan.
Booking with an allergy in mind
When you phone or use the form, put the allergy at the start of the conversation. It allows the booking to be prioritised. No response time is promised, but the team will take it into account.
Wasp Exterminator Kent charges a fixed £120 per nest, with one visit guaranteed, and £60 for each extra nest at the same property. There is no call-out charge, and the price does not change by time of day, so there is no cost reason to wait for a convenient slot. Evening and weekend appointments are available.
All technicians are fully insured and qualified. You can call 01622 410 019 or use the booking form on the contact page. During the visit, keep the allergic person indoors and away from the nest area, and ask afterwards whether the empty nest can be taken down.
Wasps on your property in Dode?
Fixed price £120 per nest, no call-out charge, same-day service available.