Beneficial or a nuisance?
There is no need to kill every wasp you see, wasps are beneficial garden insects and in the summer they are useful for eating hundreds of other insects that can be problematic in the home and garden.
However, wasps can be a nuisance to humans mainly in late summer/ autumn months when the weather gets cooler as they become more likely to sting.
Are wasps dangerous?
Health risks vary from person to person but the vast majority of people who are stung suffer only localised swelling and brief pain that can be alleviated with remedies from chemists. If you have a serious allergic reaction from a wasp sting, seek immediate hospital treatment and take advice from your doctor about preparing for any future stings.
I’ve seen wasps or a wasp nest in a public area
If there are wasp nests or wasps that have been seen anywhere out in the public area (including footpaths, fields, telegraph poles etc.) then we advise people to be aware and keep away. We don’t provide a pest control service and therefore we can’t send someone out to get rid of a nest on public land. We don’t have legislation that can cover wild animals.
It is important to remember that with the onset of winter wasp nests die out and are never reused, so do not worry if you spot a nest during these times of year.
I have a wasp nest in my domestic property, what should I do?
If you are living in a domestic property where a wasp nest is present you will need to contact a pest control company yourself to remove it, as the Council does not provide a pest control service.
It is advised that you do not attempt to remove the nest yourself as it is likely that the wasps will become aggressive and attack.
It is important to remember that with the onset of winter wasp nests die out and are never reused, so do not worry if you spot a nest during these times of year.
When can the Council take action?
If someone is reporting a wasp nest on a commercial property/school we may be able to contact the owners for them to arrange a pest control company to treat it. Likewise if someone reports that a domestic property has a nest in the garden that is causing problems to passers-by then we may be able to get the occupier to deal with the problem.