In the UK there are around 9 main species of wasps.
The most common type of wasp in the UK is definitely a Yellow Jacket. With a yellow and black striped coat, this species is the one that you will most often find yourself chasing around with a tea towel or trying to trap under a container!
Wasp stings can pose various threats to humans, with mild and most common symptoms being a small swelling. However, some wasp stings can be extremely dangerous and cause people to enter Anaphylaxis. It’s for this reason that we should all be able to identify a wasp, and deal with any infestations quickly before they get out of hand.
Identifying Wasps by Physical Characteristics
Knowing the physical characteristic of the most common wasp species will certainly help your ability to confidently identify a wasp infestation in your home. Most wasps in the UK have long and thin bodies, with yellow and black stripes on their abdomens. Some paper wasps can range in colour though, with some orange, red and brown, but most commonly a bright yellow.
Although there are some rare exceptions, such as the European hornet, wasps can be easily spotted by their hairless bodies and narrow waistlines. Their body tends to look like a cone shape, that joins together at the bottom to form a sharp point.
As a ball mark figure, you should be looking for around 1.27cm if you want to identify the common Yellow Jacket species. Whereas some Baldfaced hornets can boast a larger size of around 2/2.5cm in length.
Look at its behaviour
Wasps, by nature, are generally more aggressive than bees. Although they aren’t out to sting everybody, they do tend to hang around people and get involved in our business. They are easily attracted to rubbish and food which explains why you can’t enjoy a summer picnic without being invaded by a wasp.
Sometimes mistaken for a bee, Yellow Jackets usually live in the ground or in stone wall voids. They are very protective of their space and will often attack a person if you approach their nest. This is the same if a lawn mower makes a vibration sound nearby, it will usually scare the wasp and prompt it to sting. It’s important to note that colonies may be home to thousands of wasps at a time, which if tampered with, will all swarm out and pose a dangerous threat to humans.
Paper wasps, another common species in the UK, tend to be less aggressive. They will only ever hurt a human if you invade their colony. Although they like to build their nests in human-created structures, these colonies are usually much smaller in size.
Spot the difference from bees
As we come closer to the warmer weather, the threat of being stung unfortunately increases.
Both bees and wasps usually become active around this time, as many of them hibernate through the colder months. As they begin to build their new nests again, they will find themselves closer to you and your homes.
Although both are beneficial to the environment in different ways, many people mistake honeybees with Yellow Jackets, and vice versa. Wasps, though, are more likely to sting you and therefore you should be able to
easily tell the difference before you act in any situation.
Here are some features to look out for to help you distinguish between a bee and a wasp:
- The Waist – As mentioned, wasps have a very thin waistline which narrows before joining up to form a sharp point, unlike bees.
- Body Hair – Bees are hairy, wasps aren’t. While some rare wasp species will have specks of body hair, the majority have no hair at all or very little
compared to a bee. - Size of their Colonies – These numbers may sound scary, but it’s true. Wasp colonies never usually go over 10,000 members whereas honeybee hives can be much busier and hold up to 50,000 creatures.
Should you remove a wasp nest yourself?
The short answer is definitely, no. Removing a wasp nest can be very dangerous. Although there are various chemicals and solutions online, wasp nest removal is best left to a professional, like me. Wasps are more than capable of stinging you and your pet’s multiple times if aggravated.
For safety reasons, it’s best you give me a call and I will be on my way to show them nasty little creatures who is the boss!