Wasp Watch - The year so far for UK wasp activity

June 2010

The heavy rain experienced in many parts of the country early in June will have prevented foraging wasps from searching for food and building materials and this will have been detrimental to some colonies in a crucial period in the development of the nest.

The weather recently has been much better, dry and fairly hot for the time of year, and the change may have come in time to overcome the damage caused by the wet start to the month, time will tell.

A wasps nest found in a pub in Southampton was the size of an armchair and was estimated to have contained over 250,000 wasps.  A normal sized wasps nest (about the size of a rugby ball) will contain more than a thousand wasps. Beware!

May 2010

The beneficial weather for wasps has continued, with warm days, mild nights and only a few nights of frost. The rain that fell was mild and fairly light so the foraging wasps were not hampered in their search for food and building materials for the nest.

The only likely constraint on the development of the wasp nests is the increased competition for food due to the larger than usual number of wasp colonies.

If the mild and balmy weather continues throughout June, we'll not only have a barbecue summer but a wasp summer as well.

April 2010

The mild warm month of April provided ideal conditions for the development of wasp colonies with many sightings of queens emerging from hibernation. At this time of year they are building the first few cells of their nest into which they lay their eggs. When these hatch they become the first worker wasps and take over the role of foraging for food and buidling materials.

Unless there is a late cold spell this could be a bumper year for wasps.

If you have any strong lures for wasps in your garden, such as fruit trees, or if you operate a food outlet of any sort prone to wasp nuisance, this is the time to put your Waspinators out, before the wasps get used to visiting your food source - it is easier to prevent a habit than to overcome it.

March 2010

A mixed month in terms of weather and its effect on the number of wasps nests being built.

The cold weather early in the month continuing from February will have delayed the appearance from hibernation of some Queen wasps, but there have been many reports of large sleepy wasps indoors, and, later in the month when the weather became milder, frequent reports of sightings of large wasps outdoors.

This is approaching the time when the Queens have made the beginnings of what will be this year's wasps nests, and when they will have laid their eggs into the cells they have made from chewed up wood pulp and plant debris.

When these first eggs hatch they will be sterile female wasps - the workers and foragers for the new colony

December 2009 to February 2010

All quiet on the wasp front, the Queens have been hibernating and this year's colonies are all dead. 

If you have seen any little silver or grey cocoons, about the size of a golf ball, tucked away in the attic, garage, garden shed, then you may have been the host to a hibernating Queen who will soon start to look for a nice place to start to build this year's wasps nest.

The cold Winter may have reduced the number of surviving Queen wasps and therefore the number of wasp colonies in 2010, but contrarily this can actually lead to larger colonies due to the lack of competition for food, building materials and places to nest .

November 2009

It is the end of the season for wasps now, the wasps nests are dying out and next year's Queen wasps are preparing to hibernate.

They will be looking for safe and dry locations tucked away from sight and from human or other activity, so if you see a wasp lurking anywhere like this you know what they are doing!

October 2009

The warm and dry weather continued and extended the wasp season as a result.

There have been many reports of unusually high levels of wasp activity and stinging incidents as a result of tired and groggy wasps coming into contact with humans and with domestic pets.

Extra care should be taken where it is known that there has been a nest anywhere nearby.

September 2009

One of the driest and warmest Septembers for a decade, and a record September for wasp activity and stinging incidents.

At this time of year wasps are at their most aggressive in their hunt for food, the foraging wasps are able to keep a higher proportion of the food they gather for themselves leading to 'drunken' incidents when fruit ferments inside them. The environment inside the nest is at its worst due to overcrowding, and overheating on hot days.

These conditions lead to many unpleasant incidents with wasps when in contact with humans, either due to accidental contact with wasps too drowsy to keep a distance, or aggressive behaviour by the wasps in their hunt for food.

August 2009

Traditionally the peak month for wasp activity and interaction with humans, this August was no exception.

Breeding conditions through June and July were such that the wasp population was generally high, though it must be said that there were quite significant regional variations throughout the uK.

Human outdoor living activities are also at a peak, especially this year with the advent of 'staycations' for many UK residents, consequently stinging incidents were also at a high with wasps attracted to the foodstuffs available at many barbecues, picnics, tea rooms, beer gardens, caravan and camp sites, and other outdoor leisure situations.

July 2009

The warm but wet weather towards the end of the month led to reduced reports of wasp activity, partly due to reduced human outdoor activity and partly due to the weather affecting wasps' behaviour.

The first two weeks of July saw a very significant rise in reports of wasp nuisance contnuing on from the rise in activity towards the end of June.

Due to generally favourable weather conditions so far this year it is likely that late summer this year will see a real peak in the number of wasps foraging for food, and a consequent peak in the number of human and wasp interactions.

Please see our advice on how best to avoid unpleasant incidents with wasps under the 'Wasp Info' tab.

Be careful.

June 2009

A considerable rise in observations of wasps towards the end of the month and, if the weather stays warm and dry, this is likely to continue into July.

Early June was relatively quiet following on from the end of May when weather conditions were poor but not so bad that it will have affected the growth and health of most colonies.

May 2009

May has been comparatively slightly colder and wetter than the year to date so far, but with less competition between Queens for the ideal sites for nests - dry, warm, and secluded, and relatively close to sources for food and building materials - the weather will not have deterred many colonies developing, and this may well be a bumper year for wasps.

April 2009

The warm April climate provided a continuation of the year to dates ideal environment for wasp populations. The low numbers of wasps last year means there will be less competition for good nesting spots and for food and building materials, so there is a distinct likelihood of a very waspy year in 2009.

To repeat last months warning about nests under construction, if you see regular wasp activity involving a large wasp please be aware that this is probably a Queen looking for, or just having found, a suitable location for a nest.

Be especially vigilant if you have seen a large wasp indoors, check your attic, roof void, or loft space to see if there is a nest being built hidden away in the nooks and crannies. Wasps like older houses best as there are more ways to enter and exit, and more sites where they can hide themselves away, but we do hear of nests built in wall cavities and roof voids of modern homes too.

Check your garages and sheds also. If you do find a nest be very careful indeed even at this early stage. We would always advise employing a professional pest controller.

March 2009

March was mild, dry, and pleasant and consequently sightings of Queens emerging from hibernation were noticeably high both indoors and outdoors. At this time of year they are looking for suitable locations to start building their nests, and will be looking for dry, protected, and secluded sites.

If you have had several sightings of a large wasp buzzing around outside in your garden, she may have found a spot that looks good to her, and soon there may be a nest under construction.If you have seen a large wasp indoors, beware check your attic or loft space, look in the nooks and crannies where the Queen will feel secure. Nests under construction will only be small to begin with, but soon will grow as the colony develops.

November 2008 to February 2009

Wasp activity has now virtually ceased for Winter with next year's Queens safely cocooned for hibernation and their colonies having died off. The cold winter will have had an effect on Wasp populations for 2009, though this is difficult to assess. It has also meant very few reports of Queens' hibernation being disturbed and sitings are at an all time low. The generally poor weather and general conditions for Wasps in 2008 resulted in fewer numbers overall last year, but this also meant less competition for food and territory so the colonies that were established will have been able to sustain themselves slightly more easily.

October 2008

A cold and wet October, and the time of year, resulted in very low levels of activity. Most colonies are in their final stages with the inhabitants dying off and next year's Queens looking for hibernation locations.

September 2008

The continuing poor weather throughout the UK - dull, wet, and windy - combined with the poor overall conditions all year for wasps, has meant that wasp activity has been generally very low. On the few days where the weather has encouraged outdoor eating, drinking, and socialising by humans, wasps have largely been noticeable by their absence. Where wasp nuisance has been recorded it has often been due to the proximity of a nest, even though wasps do travel quite long distances whilst foraging.

August 2008

Wasp activity has soared during August even with the continuing wet weather. The poor weather all year has meant that wasps are now grabbing every chance they get to forage for food to help their colony survive and prosper, and they are likely to behave more aggressively than normal. The lower availability of aphids means they will be even more interested in human food than usual, and fruit trees are likely to be subjected to a high level of attack by wasps.

July 2008

Its raining so theyre staying indoors! The continued unsettled weather has affected the level of outdoor wasp activity, and reports of stinging incidents are very low. For those unfortunate to have wasps nesting in their roof space or under their eaves, the poor weather means an increased likelihood of wasps foraging indoors as they find their way through nooks and crannies into rooms on upper floors, and consequently an increased likelihood of unpleasant human/wasp incidents.

June 2008

A good month for those who don't like wasps. A cool June following the unsettled and generally poor weather all year so far has meant that wasp colonies are still establishing themselves, foraging wasps are still gathering building materials for the nests, and they arent causing us humans too many problems. Human outdoor leisure time is probably relatively low, so reports of stinging incidents are low also. One note of warning would be that when the number of existing colonies is low, the size of those which survive can be much larger, so be vigilant in nest spotting.

May 2008

The first two weeks of May were relatively mild by comparison to March and April, and wasp activity consequently much higher than in those months, but not high in absolute terms. Foraging wasps have been spotted throughout the South and also in the Midlands, North, and Scotland.

April 2008

The variation in climate conditions was even more dramatic than in March, with extremes of temperature in both directions, gales and heavy showers, and even snow in some areas. Wasp activity was very low indeed, other than on the few warm April days. It is uncertain whether this is due to wasps staying indoors or to generally low numbers, or both.

March 2008

Sightings of Queens increased in volume as one would expect for March, although the extremes of weather during the month will have had an adverse effect on their survival and health. The cold snaps, high winds and heavy rain will have had an impact on the number of Queens surviving and on the viability of the new nests being built.

February 2008

Similar reports as in January of disturbed hibernating Queen Wasps in evidence indoors and occasionally outdoors. Too early to say for sure whether this is forming a trend and whether these wasps are actually emerging from hibernation earlier due to the mild weather, or whether it is due to disturbance of their hibernation habitat. If the mild weather continues it could herald a bumper year for wasp activity, if a prolonged cold snap occurs once Queens have emerged from hibernation it could reduce wasp populations for the year.

January 2008

Some reports of Queen Wasps being disturbed from hibernation and being observed indoors, not entirely unusual given the mild winter so far, and no particular significance to the year ahead for wasp lovers and haters.