Latest news with #wasps
The Sun
6 hours ago
- General
- The Sun
Spraying a 69p Aldi buy around patios & doors will repel wasps for good – as ‘monster' nests spotted across UK
A 69P Aldi buy is the key to banishing wasps from your home, as experts spot "monster nests" in the UK. Experts have warned that the scorching temperature s we have seen in the UK so far this year have sparked the "year of the insects" with wasps nests as big as space hoppers. 3 3 Andrew Dellbridge of Ace Pest Control revealed that the UK is seeing a "population explosion" of the irritating critters, with wasps becoming aggressive towards humans, and even chewing through plasterboard to make nests. Thankfully, Josh Novell, garden expert at Polhill Garden Centre has revealed a simple hack to get rid of wasps, and you probably already have in it in your kitchen cupboard. 'Garlic is a surprisingly effective wasp repellent,' said Josh. 'Its strong smell overwhelms a wasp's senses and naturally drives them away. It's safe, cheap, and easy to use.' Garlic granules can be picked up from Aldi for just 69p, making this an extremely budget friendly hack. There are a variety of ways you can use the seasoning to banish wasps, including simply placing granules in a bowl and near outdoor seating and food. Alternatively, fill a spray bottle with water and one to two teaspoons of garlic powder. Shake the concoction to mix it, and then spray it around patios, door and bins. Or, you could even grow your own garlic plants in the garden, to repel wasps all year long. Josh also warned against the common trap of setting out a jar or jam or sugar to lure wasps. Killer Asian hornet filmed decapitating and devouring wasp in Kent amid fears of UK-wide invasion 'Sweet traps can attract wasps from neighbouring areas, increasing activity rather than reducing it,' he said. 'You're unintentionally drawing them in.' Pest control expert Andrew revealed that the unprecedented sun the UK enjoyed in spring brought wasps out of hibernation early, giving them more time to grow. This means that their nests are already surpassing last year's size, with months still left to go until they die off. Keep pests out all summer IF you want to ensure that your home is pest free this summer, here's what you need to know. Hornets and wasps - hate the smell of peppermint oil so spraying this liberally around your patio or balcony can help to keep them at bay. Moths - acidic household white vinegar is effective for deterring moths. Soak some kitchen roll in vinegar and leave it in your wardrobe as a deterrent. Flying ants - herbs and spices, such as cinnamon, mint, chilli pepper, black pepper, cayenne pepper, cloves, or garlic act as deterrents. Mosquitoes - plants, herbs and essential oil fragrances can help deter mozzies inside and out. Try eucalyptus, lavender and lemongrass. He said: "By September-October, the right back end of the season before they all die off, we should be in massive nest territory." "I worry about the big ones", he continued. "I always try to use a comparison - and the space hopper is as big as it can get. "And that hums and it's quite a foe." The expert added that wasps usually become increasingly aggressive in the autumn, but this will also be happening earlier this year, with wasps destroying people's homes to make way for their nests. "I had one yesterday," he said. "Hundreds of wasps piling into someone's house because they literally chewed through already." He added that the number of wasps in nests has grown dramatically this year. "This year, whereas you'd possibly have hundreds, or a thousand or so in there, I'm predicting that we'll have thousands in each nest", he warned. "So you're not going to miss them. We are up for a bit of a challenge I think."
Times
2 days ago
- General
- Times
How to get rid of wasp nests and unwelcome bees
In summer, wasps always make an appearance when we're eating in our garden. I've tried various gimmicks but they don't seem to work. What could we put on the table or nearby to minimise their impact?Kerry Piears, Godalming Wasp nests are remarkably common, but because the wasps are so busy in their earnest social activities — collecting wood pulp to build their nest, hunting insect prey for their grubs and tending their multitudinous brood — they barely interact with humans, so we hardly notice them. At the end of summer, though, the nest function changes and rather than more workers, a new generation of queens and males is produced. Once these hatch the workers have nothing to do other than forage aimlessly for sweet things like those on offer at your table. The bad news is that wasps are numerous and persistent. They can smell your food and will come looking. The good news is that this phase soon passes and all workers die off during autumn. Although you haven't seen it, a nest may be close, so you might try moving the table where you eat. Don't bother with wasp traps, these simply drown a few of the wasps — but there will be many hundreds more. And I'm sceptical of marketing claims that nest-shaped bags dangling from trees trick them into thinking another colony of ruthless competitors is nearby. Generally foraging wasps are not aggressive, they save that for attacks on the nest. However, do not be complacent. Cover your food and do not allow wasps to traipse over it — wasps also visit carrion and animal dung, and will transfer bacteria to your welcoming Jones is the author of House Guests, House Pests: A Natural History of Animals in the Home (Bloomsbury £18.99), • Read more expert advice on property, interiors and home improvement How can we prevent bees from entering the eaves of our conservatory lantern, where they become trapped and die?Jane Smyth You've highlighted an important aspect of insect behaviour here. When trapped against some sort of impermeable barrier, insects have a tendency to walk or fly upwards, thinking they will eventually reach the top of the obstacle and be able to fly off. However, insect evolution has not had time to reckon with the very modern human behaviour of making enclosed, sheltered spaces to live in. Bees, wasps, flies and other insects taking a wrong turn at your conservatory will start to bump their way upwards against the glass and eventually reach the lantern. Then, that most dangerous of insect vulnerabilities will hit them — water loss, a deadly peril for a small organism. It's all to do with relatively high surface area compared with low volume. Flying is metabolically expensive and although insects don't sweat like us, they cool by water evaporation from inside their bodies. Unfortunately, their hardwired instinctive behaviour is unwavering, and they are incapable of learning that they have made a mistake. You might try fitting gauze or net screens across all points of ingress. Otherwise you will have to fit an escape vent for them, or go in each day with a net and capture them for release away from the Jones • Pest-proofing a Victorian terrace: how to keep rats and mice away Any tips on how to get encrusted limescale off a bathroom tap as it has now affected the full flow of water?Margaret Simpson I found that dampening a two-pence piece and gradually scraping at the limescale causes it to just drop Furniss, Chesham Attach half a lemon using rubber bands to the tap spout, and leave for an hour or so. Remove the softened limescale and Grace Soak a J Cloth (or similar) in white vinegar and place directly on the affected area. Pop a plastic bag over the tap and secure with an elastic band. Leave for a few hours. Heavy deposits may require multiple rounds but this method shouldn't damage any metal finishes on your Leicester I buy food-grade citric acid (available on Amazon, etc). Run tap briefly, sprinkle dry citric acid onto a paper towel, then place directly on the encrusted (now wet) spout using an elastic band or old hair tie to attach. Let this sit for at least an hour. Works wonders for Kirk Viakal spray is great at destroying limescale. Be careful because it is strong stuff and can damage certain surfaces (which I discovered the hard way). Veronica, Leyton I've had dark grey limestone paving laid on my new terrace. I left a tree in the middle of the terrace for the birds to enjoy. However, the birds are seriously disrespecting my new paving — even a low-pressure hose used daily doesn't remove their mess completely. I've tried hanging reflective deterrent rods in the tree, and also photos of birds of prey, but they haven't worked. Short of removing the tree, do readers have any tips for cleaning the bird mess effectively without damaging the paving?SB A chair fell onto our wood-patterned vinyl flooring and left a one-inch crescent-shaped dent. The chair broke the vinyl's surface, and the dent is white. Is there anything I can do to improve its appearance?Hannah Send tips and questions to homehelp@ Advice given without responsibility
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- General
- Daily Mail
Wasps making our lives a misery: How can we get our neighbour to tackle a nest while we try to sell our home?
We're trying to sell our house, but next door has a major wasp infestation at the front of their property, which is always visible during viewings. We have young children and have previously mentioned the wasps to the neighbours in question, but they just don' tseem bothered about getting the infestation sorted. How can we get our neighbours to get rid of the wasps? What are their options for getting this problem resolved and can we compel them to sort it out? Jane Denton, of This is Money, replies: Britain is facing a surge in wasps this summer, with some experts claiming there is a 'population explosion.' The spring sunshine lured wasps out of hibernation early, giving them more time to grow. The head start means this year's nests are already surpassing last year's in size, with months still to go. Social wasps live in colonies and in Britain are usually yellow and reddish brown or black. Their colonies can consist of hundreds or thousands of female workers and their much larger mother, the egg-laying queen. Wasps have a bad reputation, but, according to the Royal Horticultural Society, are beneficial in gardens as they feed their grubs on caterpillars, greenfly and other insects and help reduce plant damage. However, wasps can become a nuisance to people during the late summer when, as the weather becomes a little cooler, they become more likely to sting. A wasp, unlike a bee, can sting many times. Social wasps in distress emit a pheromone that sends nearby colony members into a defensive, stinging frenzy. Although a wasp sting is not normally serious, it can be painful, and in certain cases cause a severe reaction. While not a long-term solution, keep your property's doors and windows closed to prevent wasps from your neighbour's property getting in. As you are in the process of trying to sell your home, try and have another polite conversation with your neighbours about the wasps. As a last resort, consider contacting your local council about the issue, telling them why you think the wasps pose an environmental health issue or potential danger to people. Trying to get the problem resolved via the council could be time-consuming, which is not ideal when you are trying to sell your property. I asked two experts for their advice. John Horsley, professional development officer at the British Pest Control Association, says: Wasps are likely to make their nest somewhere sheltered, often under trees or in bushes, in wall cavities, under eaves or in a shed or garage, but they have been found in much more unusual places, from toilet cisterns to brass instruments. Several factors can influence where a nest is built. For a nest to be successful, it will need to be in a protected location with readily available materials nearby to construct the nest. Wasps will also look for sites that have a regular food source present, from which they will feed roughly every 15 minutes. At this time of year, the nest will be expanding and at its peak in late summer, could be home to between 3,000 and 5,000 individuals. It is always best to start by speaking to your neighbour and ask again if they are aware of the wasps' nest on their property. Explain the possible issues and point out that in high traffic areas, a wasp nest can cause a public health risk. Wasps will sting if they feel threatened and if they become defensive of the nest, they can emit a pheromone that acts as a call for back-up and can trigger a stinging frenzy from a swarm of angry wasps. Their stings can cause an allergic reaction known as anaphylaxis, which can be fatal. If anaphylaxis is suspected, dial 999 immediately. Never attempt to deal with a wasp nest if you think you might be allergic to stings. You can ask the neighbour to have the nest treated, but if they are unwilling and you feel the nest poses a risk to occupants of your property you could escalate the problem to your local authority, which may be able to help with advice or even use legislative powers to have the nest treated. However, treating a wasp nest can be very dangerous. We recommend getting help from a BPCA member who will have the technical knowledge to deal with the problem safely, as well as having access to products that are not available to members of the public. The good news is that the situation will resolve itself eventually as wasps will abandon the nest as autumn arrives. Sophie Thorogood, technical training manager at Pest-Stop, says: The best option might be to offer to pay to get the wasp nest treated by a pest controller. Get your neighbour's permission to enter their property to resolve the issue quickly. While wasps are considered a public health pest, it is unlikely that your local council would be in a positron to take timely action by late September, when the nest will have died down. Some laws like the Environmental Protection Act 1990 or the Public Health Act 1936 could be applicable, but these are more likely to be used when the risk to public health is larger, for example at a school where there is a nest near a playground or if a child has a serious allergic reaction to a wasp sting. A pest controller will usually apply an insecticide near the entrance of the nest. The wasps then bring the chemical into the nest, causing them to die from the dose after a few days. Do not be tempted to try and get rid of the nest yourself, as this can be unsafe and ineffective. How to find a new mortgage Borrowers who need a mortgage because their current fixed rate deal is ending, or they are buying a home, should explore their options as soon as possible. Buy-to-let landlords should also act as soon as they can. Quick mortgage finder links with This is Money's partner L&C > Mortgage rates calculator > Find the right mortgage for you What if I need to remortgage? Borrowers should compare rates, speak to a mortgage broker and be prepared to act. Homeowners can lock in to a new deal six to nine months in advance, often with no obligation to take it. Most mortgage deals allow fees to be added to the loan and only be charged when it is taken out. This means borrowers can secure a rate without paying expensive arrangement fees. Keep in mind that by doing this and not clearing the fee on completion, interest will be paid on the fee amount over the entire term of the loan, so this may not be the best option for everyone. What if I am buying a home? Those with home purchases agreed should also aim to secure rates as soon as possible, so they know exactly what their monthly payments will be. Buyers should avoid overstretching and be aware that house prices may fall, as higher mortgage rates limit people's borrowing ability and buying power. What about buy-to-let landlords Buy-to-let landlords with interest-only mortgages will see a greater jump in monthly costs than homeowners on residential mortgages. This makes remortgaging in plenty of time essential and our partner L&C can help with buy-to-let mortgages too. How to compare mortgage costs The best way to compare mortgage costs and find the right deal for you is to speak to a broker. This is Money has a long-standing partnership with fee-free broker L&C, to provide you with fee-free expert mortgage advice. Interested in seeing today's best mortgage rates? Use This is Money and L&Cs best mortgage rates calculator to show deals matching your home value, mortgage size, term and fixed rate needs. If you're ready to find your next mortgage, why not use L&C's online Mortgage Finder. It will search 1,000's of deals from more than 90 different lenders to discover the best deal for you. > Find your best mortgage deal with This is Money and L&C Be aware that rates can change quickly, however, and so if you need a mortgage or want to compare rates, speak to L&C as soon as possible, so they can help you find the right mortgage for you.
BBC News
3 days ago
- Climate
- BBC News
Wasps are back this summer in the UK – a lot of them
John Horsley was gardening when he felt a wasp crawl down his T-shirt."That stung me a few times in the back," he says. "It wasn't a pleasant experience."Part of the British Pest Control Association, John is well-versed in the problems wasps can cause gate-crashing picnics or beer gardens on a summer's day, and building bothersome a downtick in wasp callouts in recent summers, his industry has been busier than usual tackling problems caused by wasps this year, he says. These can include large nests appearing earlier in the are currently still raising their young, but later in the summer they tend to congregate in public areas seeking a sugary snack before they die. So is this shaping up to be a summer of the wasp? "We don't have plagues of insects," Mr Horsley explains. "But it seems that every few years, wasps will have a strong year and that commonly coincides with particular weather patterns – this year it's been very warm and very dry – it's been a very good year for them."The Met Office says we have had the warmest spring in more than 50 years. Last year, the UK had its coolest summer for nine of the world's leading wasp experts, Prof Seirian Sumner of University College London, cautions that scientific data on wasp numbers will not be released for a her gut feeling is that "all the signs are, based on the weather and other insect populations, it is going to be a good year for wasps". The UK has about 9,000 species of wasps - most of them solitary, meaning they don't live in large colonies and are generally not a nuisance to a small number are social wasps, such as the common wasp, Vespula vulgaris, which is most common for interacting with humans. According to a 2021 YouGov poll, they are the second most disliked insect in the UK, after the Prof Sumner and other wasp experts point out that wasps are not all bad."They are really important parts of the ecosystem – they're apex predators," she says."Take a top predator out of any system – like the lion out of Serengeti – it has knock-on effects in the prey populations that will then go unchecked by their predator."And wasps are free, natural pest controllers – so they are doing jobs in our gardens, in our wild landscapes, in our farming landscapes. They are helping keep pests at bay." Living alongside wasps - without being stung Nikki Banfield, of the insect charity Buglife, says we need to look after wasps."A lot of people don't like wasps, they class them as angry bees, but they have a really valid purpose in the natural world," she that wider natural world, recent studies show widespread declines in global insect populations, with some insect species being pushed towards loss is linked to intensive agriculture, pesticides and climate change, with far-reaching consequences for the many birds, amphibians, bats and reptiles that rely on insects for the common wasp appears to be bucking this trend – its population remaining stable over the past 100 years – along with houseflies, cockroaches and the European hornet, which is increasing across the UK and moving northward as the climate warms. Sightings of the invading Asian or yellow-legged hornet, which arrived in the UK in 2016, are also on the rise.And after a poor year for butterflies in 2024, naturalists say many common species, such as the Large White, also appear to be flourishing this summer.Ladybirds too, seem to be enjoying the warmer temperatures, according to luckily for the ecosystem – but perhaps unluckily for our picnics – wasps appear to be thriving here in the UK. How can we live alongside each other happily then?Ms Banfield suggests we leave something sweet, such as a small cap of jam or orange juice, a short distance from the picnic area to distract the practical tips include not screaming, flapping your arms or swatting at wasps, as this will agitate them and make them more stings can pose a public health risk – they can cause anaphylactic shock - Mr Horsley points out, so he has a word of advice."Don't disturb them. Try and stay away from them where possible, and, if it needs to be treated then speak to a professional," he says.
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Science
- Daily Mail
Win against the wasps! There are more than ever, so here world-leading experts reveal what really works against them - from a trick with tights to the sure-fire way to make them leave your picnic alone
The driest spring on record has made this a great year for insects, which thrive in warm weather. But this is especially the case for wasps: feeding on flies, caterpillars and aphids, the apex predators of the insect world will certainly have had their numbers boosted over the past 12 months. Professor Seirian Sumner, Professor of Behavioural Ecology at University College, London, and author of Endless Forms: The Secret World Of Wasps, says: 'That double combination of the spring weather being perfect for wasps and the summer being good for insects in general with lots of prey around for the wasps means it's a really good wasp year.'
