Knowing wasps to destroy wasp nests
The wasp (Vespa vulgaris) is a stinging insect of the order Hymenoptera. Its size varies from 15 to 20 mm for the workers and can reach 30 mm for the queen. It is an “invasive and belligerent” species that can settle anywhere in our environment if the right conditions are met. The life span of a worker is a few weeks, while the queen lives for several months. Wasps feed on protein from insects, larvae and fruit. There is no need to get too close to the nest to be automatically attacked by the workers who can each sting you 1 to 3 times.
where wasps live :
A 6 mm hole is enough for a young queen to settle under a roof or in a wall, she has a predilection for unfinished attics which allow her to find security, warmth and an abundance of building materials, she uses splinters from unplanned frameworks which she kneads to obtain the paste necessary for the construction of the nest. The young queen may also choose to settle in an abandoned mole gallery, a tree stump, a compost bin, …. The final nest is made of several layers of cells wrapped in thick insulation made of the same material. A nest is used only once and is never reused by the young queens. However, it is possible that one of them builds her nest very close to the one where she was born.
Wasp lifestyle :
It is an insect that lives in annual colonies whose number varies according to the species and the state of development of the nest. From March/April onwards, if the weather conditions are favourable, each young queen who has hibernated the previous winter takes flight to choose the location of her future colony. She starts by making a small nest, no bigger than a tennis ball, where she lays a few dozen eggs. She takes care of and feeds this first generation of eggs, which will become workers. Once the first workers have matured, they begin to build the final nest next to the original one. From then on the queen only lays eggs. In May there are about 100 adult workers building the nest, so the colony is not yet visible. From June to August the nest can have 400 to 600 adult insects, not counting the thousands of eggs and larvae. From then on it is easy to spot the nest because of the comings and goings of the workers who supply the colony with food. The colony dies at the end of October/beginning of November, but in fact it is only the workers who die, as there are still all the future queens in the nest who will hibernate throughout the winter before going off to create their own colony.
Wasp nuisance :
They are simple, when in the middle of summer a colony of wasps reaches its maximum level of development they are no longer in your home but in theirs. Your attic is their attic, your wall is their wall and your garden is their garden, and they don’t hesitate to let you know this by attacking and stinging you to protect their “territory”. Not only is a wasp sting painful, but there are usually several of them stinging you. The more able-bodied among you may be able to bear the pain, but some people are allergic to them and may die.
For these reasons we strongly advise you to solve your infestation problem by trusting one of the [Pest Control Providers] listed in our directory or for the more unaware among you to buy [materials and products] available from our partner.
Procedure for Wasp Nest Treatment
It is not advisable to treat a wasp nest yourself as your health and even your life are at stake. Please consider the following:
In 99% of cases you have no experience in this field. You think that you can solve your problem with a good store-bought insect spray? This is not true!
Wasps are insects with a survival instinct that will make them willing to sacrifice themselves for the preservation of their colony. Is it the same for you? No !
To approach a wasp nest you need a special suit that you don’t have.
If you attack a wasp nest with your insecticide spray, you will be alone against several hundred insects, which will attack you from all sides and which, unlike you, will not panic or make any mistakes.
So, one piece of advice: call a Pest Controler who has a perfect command of this kind of situation.