The Buzz: Five facts you never knew about wasps

Of all the pests which can invade your home, wasps are easily among the most unwelcome. They may measure less than a couple of centimetres, but their painful sting – which can prove fatal to a small minority of people – means they’re feared by many.

The extermination of wasps in the home and garden is usually covered under pest control insurance policies, allowing households to claim for some or all of the cost of the work. For some, this offers peace of mind that a problem can be nipped in the bud before it becomes seriously irritating.

When you’re dealing with any pest, it’s important to know your enemy. Most of us will know that wasps are attracted to sweet things and have aggressive tendencies, but what about those lesser-known facts? Here’s five things you may never have known about those irritating insects.

1. They have community spirit

Wasps’ colonies become self-contained communities, following a strict caste order. At the top of the chain are the queens, who start the nest before laying eggs. – around ten to 20 initially. Once the workers are born they construct the nest at a rapid rate and forage for food.

2. Wasps can survive winters…

It’s a common misconception that all wasps die out in the winter. However, it’s only fertilised queens that are usually able to make it through the chillier months, emerging in the spring to build new nests.

3. …although males don’t like the cold

While the queens can survive the winter, males aren’t so fortunate/ In late summer, new males and queens are produced in the colony. When they fly away to mate, the males, workers and foundation queen all perish.

4. Wasps don’t share bees’ thirst for nectar

Although they have a hunger for sweet things, wasps don’t have the same nectar-sucking mouth as bees. Late summer is the typical time for workers to start turning their attention to sweet substances, which is when they become a particular nuisance. At this time of year, you may be more likely to make a claim on your pest cover for a wasp infestation, either in your garden or in the home.

5. Wasps’ stings aren’t just for killing prey

A wasp’s sting is as much of a defence mechanism as it is something to attack prey. The sting’s glands produce venom, which isn’t usually harmful as it comes in small amounts. When a wasp stings its prey or a human it releases a powerful pheromone that alarms other wasps in the area and invites them to join in the attack on the victim.