Wasps vs Bees – How to Identify Them Before Arranging Pest Control in West Brabourne
As summer wears on, wasps become far more noticeable around food, drink and open windows, and it helps to understand why before deciding whether you have a nest to deal with.
Why they seem to arrive all at once
Many people feel that wasps appear from nowhere in late summer. In truth, the colony has been growing for months, and by now it is at its largest, with a great many workers out looking for food. Insects that were hardly noticeable in May become unmissable at a picnic table in August.
If you live in West Brabourne and have found your outdoor meals interrupted lately, this is the usual pattern. It does not mean something has gone wrong with your garden. It means the season has reached its peak.
There is also a human factor. In late summer people spend more time outdoors, eat more meals in the garden and leave windows open late into the evening. More encounters are therefore bound to happen, and each one feels like proof that the numbers are rising, even if the nest itself has not changed much in a fortnight.
What the late-summer visitors are after
Wasps at this time of year seek sugar and protein. They head for sweet drinks, jam, ice cream, fruit, barbecued meat and the open bin. Bees, by contrast, continue to visit flowers and ignore your lunch. The behaviour at the table is therefore one of the best clues available.
- Insects crowding the rim of a fizzy drink are almost certainly wasps.
- Insects working lavender, sedum or other late flowers are almost certainly bees.
- Insects that return again and again from the same direction suggest a nest in that direction.
Keep an eye on the weather as well. A long dry spell makes sugary drinks and ripe fruit more attractive, and wasps become bolder in their search for them. Showery weather may reduce the numbers for a day or two, but the colony will recover quickly once the sun returns.
Remember that sweet fruit and drinks are only part of the attraction. Late in the season, wasp workers are looking for sugar to feed the colony, and a colony that is well supplied nearby will keep sending them to the same table until the source dries up or the nest is dealt with.
Telling them apart when there are many
When numbers are high, the differences stand out. Wasps are smooth, sleek and sharply waisted, and they move quickly and restlessly. Bees are fuzzy, rounder and unhurried. If every insect you see has the narrow waist and bright, crisp bands, you are probably dealing with wasps.
The first wasp nests are started from late April, depending on the weather, in eaves, wall gaps, chimneys, trees, bushes or underground holes. Each colony grows steadily until late summer with the August peak bringing anywhere from 2,000 to 10,000 or more wasps.
At this stage the nest is as big as it will get. That is why late-summer reports are often the most pressing, and why it is sensible to arrange help promptly once you are sure.
You can often work out the direction of the nest by watching where insects fly after visiting your table. They tend to leave in a fairly consistent line. Watch from a safe distance, and note the direction in words, such as "towards the hedge at the bottom of the garden". That helps us to find the nest quickly.
Staying comfortable in the meantime
Short of removing the nest, you can make life easier.
- Keep food and drinks covered, and finish eating before inviting guests outside.
- Fit lids that close firmly on every bin you use outside.
- Check drink cans and cups before lifting them to your mouth.
- Do not wave your arms or swat. Move away slowly.
- Keep windows and doors closed or screened at mealtimes.
Leave a live nest strictly alone, since the wasps will swarm and sting if they sense a threat. Be especially careful with children, who may not notice an insect on a lolly or a cup.
Children's parties, garden lunches and barbecues are the events most disrupted at this time. If you have one planned, consider moving the food indoors or to a part of the garden away from the activity, and check the garden carefully a few days before. Serve food in small portions and cover the rest.
If someone is stung
If you or a family member are stung, wash it, remove the sting if you can see it and put a cold pack on the area. Get emergency help on 999 if any sign of a serious allergic reaction appears, including throat, lip or face swelling, wheeze, dizziness or a widespread rash. Those with a known sting allergy is best advised to talk to their GP.
Anyone who is nervous about stings, or who has been stung before, should think about making a plan before the next meal outside. Decide where the family will eat, where drinks will be kept covered and which door will be used to come in. A plan made calmly beforehand avoids chaos when an insect lands.
Bees and booking
Pollinating honeybees and bumblebees are worth protecting, and should be handled by a local beekeeper or bee organisation. The company deals with wasps only, and we will say so honestly if your description sounds like bees.
If you think a wasp nest is the source of the visitors, we can help.
To speak to us directly, ring 01622 410 019 or send an enquiry through the booking form at any hour. Our price for one nest is £120 flat, with one visit guaranteed and no extra for location or time of day. A further nest at the same property is £60 extra.
The firm takes domestic and commercial jobs, with same-day service and seven-day opening. Later appointments are there if daytime is awkward, and the technicians are fully insured and qualified.
If an allergy to wasp stings is a worry at your address, say so when you book so the visit can be prioritised.
If you are uncertain after reading this, describe what you can see, where and when. A good description is enough for us to advise on the next step, and there is no call-out charge for the conversation.
Wasps on your property in West Brabourne?
Fixed price £120 per nest, no call-out charge, same-day service available.