FAQ's

The common wasp is classified as an insect. They measure about 1.6cm long and have a yellow/black body colour. Two species of wasp are found locally - 'common wasps' and 'German wasps' - both are known for their sting. Wasps are beneficial to the environment as they control other small pests and clear away dead insects, but when they stray too close to human habitats they can be a dangerous nuisance and must be controlled.

Wasps live in colonies that form self-contained communities, each following a caste order of queens, males and workers. The only wasps that survive the winter are young fertilised queens. They emerge from hibernation in the spring to build new nests. Initially the queen lays 10-20 eggs and when they hatch into larvae she feeds them until they become workers. The workers then forage for food, feed the new larvae and defend the nest. By the end of the season a nest may contain thousands of these workers. In late summer, the colony produces males and new queens. They fly away to mate and the queens then find a place to hibernate. The cold weather eventually kills the males, workers and foundation queen.

Where do wasps live?

These insects are common throughout Europe. Their nests can normally be found in holes in the ground or inside hollow trees. Unfortunately for us, wasps feel equally at home in a garden shed, wall cavities, eaves and roofs.

The types of food favoured by wasps are fruit and nectar, insects and dustbin waste. All wasps feed their young on meat such as insect larvae. The wings of their prey are chewed off by the workers into round food balls which are carried home to the larvae. The workers themselves (females with underdeveloped reproductive organs) feed on liquids.

Although wasps are fond of sweet things, they don't have the nectar sucking mouth parts of bees. They will attempt to invade bee nests to steal their honey, and are nevertheless prone to drinking nectar from flowers and the juices of ripe fruit using their short tongues. An interesting fact is that wasps are fed by their larvae - in exchange for meat, the larvae regurgitate a sugary liquid eaten by the workers. Towards the end of the summer, when the larvae have reached maturity, the workers turn their attention to fruit, jam and other sweet substances, which is why they become a nuisance to people at this time.

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