Contact Us:
Telephone: (023) 9244
6017
Email: customer.services@havant.gov.uk
Visit: Customer Services reception in the
atrium of the Public Service Plaza, Civic Centre Road, Havant PO9
2AX
Description:
Wasps are probably the most familiar and generally disliked of
all British insects. Their bodies bear the characteristic black and
yellow bands and have a narrow waist. They vary in size from the
worker, which is 10-15mm in length, to the queen which is 20mm
long. They have two pairs of wings which lock together. The
needle-like sting is possessed only by the females and is concealed
near the tip of the abdomen.
Significance:
Wasps can be a nuisance but are not responsible for the spread
of disease. Although they are generally disliked because of their
sting, this will only be used by most species when the wasp is
aroused or frightened. Wasps are responsible for causing serious
damage to ripened fruit and are generally a nuisance when attracted
to sweet smelling food. Their benefits, however, are not too widely
appreciated, for in the spring and early summer wasp grubs are fed
on other insect pests.
Life Cycle:
|
Queen wasp entering
the nest early
in the season
|
The queen
emerges from the nest in the autumn and, after mating, selects a
suitable site for hibernation. Late in the following spring the
hibernation comes to an end and the surviving queens select a nest
site. The nest is usually located either in the ground or in roof
cavities and is built up from wood pulp which is moulded into the
outer shell of the nest and contains many internal chambers. The
queen lays an egg in each of the chambers and these hatch into
larvae which are fed on dead insects by the queen. When fully grown
the larvae pupate and from the pupae sterile workers emerge. These
workers assist in rearing new larvae and the new queens. |
|
Towards the end of the summer the queen lays a number of eggs
which produce male wasps and these mate with the new queens. As the
weather becomes colder, in the autumn, all the wasps die except the
new queens which fly away to find hibernation sites. The old nests
are NOT recolonised the following year.
|
 |
Control:
It will only be necessary to treat wasp nests which pose a
particular danger to you or your family. Unless such a danger
exists the nests should be left undisturbed.
Where necessary you can treat wasp nests yourself, with care,
using a proprietary insecticide. However, if professional help is
required our Pest Control Officers can treat the nest with an
insecticidal dust. A charge will be made for this treatment. A
single treatment will usually be sufficient to destroy all the
wasps in a nest but should it be necessary to re-treat, this will
be done free of charge. As old nests are not recolonized, treated
nests need not be removed and the removal of nests is not part of
the service offered by the Council. If you wish to remove a treated
or vacated nest yourself, this can be done by dislodging it into a
container, e.g., a bin liner.
Safety:
All pesticides are applied by our qualified and experienced
staff to ensure the safety of the public and to minimise damage to
the environment.
Contact Us:
Telephone: (023) 9244 6017
Email: customer.services@havant.gov.uk
Visit: Customer Services reception in the
atrium of the Public Service Plaza, Civic Centre Road, Havant PO9
2AX