When Is Wasp Season in Alresford?

People who eat, sleep and spend whole days outdoors in summer meet wasps at close quarters, so a bit of calendar knowledge makes the trip calmer.

Living outdoors in the busy months

A tent, a caravan awning or a garden bed set up for the family sleepover puts people in direct contact with the wasp season. Meals are eaten outside, drinks stand on tables, and bins sit within a few paces of the door. For anyone in Alresford who spends the summer outdoors, the wasp calendar is useful background.

Building starts from late April, weather permitting, wherever wasps find a sheltered gap, including trees, bushes and the ground. The colony then grows through the summer and peaks in August, and that is the timetable that matters whether you are in a tent or a back garden.

Pitching up: late April to June

Early-season trips face relatively few wasps, and the main risk is pitching directly in front of a nest that has just started. Before you put up a tent or set out chairs, look at hedges, trees and the base of any wall or bank nearby.

Choose a spot away from dense hedges and holes in the ground. If you see wasps entering a point repeatedly, move elsewhere rather than hoping they will ignore you.

Think about the practicalities of the plot as well. Tent pegs and guy ropes can go through the entrance of a ground nest without you noticing, and a tent pitched against a hedge can hide one. Walk the plot before you start, looking at the ground as much as the hedge.

July and August: crowded days

By midsummer the colony is growing rapidly, and in August it peaks, with a nest able to hold from 2,000 to 10,000 or more wasps. A camp set up near a nest will be very uncomfortable at this point, and an accidental disturbance, such as a ball kicked into a hedge or a tent peg driven into the ground, can provoke a swarm.

Look over the area at the start of each trip and keep children out of hedges and long grass. Make sure everyone knows to move away slowly if they see a cluster of wasps.

Plan your play areas. A game of cricket or football near a hedge or bank is the classic way to disturb a nest. Pick an open space and agree that the ball is not retrieved from a hedge until an adult has had a careful look.

Dogs on camping trips should be kept on a lead near long grass, banks and hedges, as they are likely to investigate holes in the ground.

Cooking, eating and rubbish

Late in the summer wasps seem very interested in sweet food and drink. Meals outdoors need a little discipline. Cover food, keep drinks in lidded bottles, and wipe up spills straight away. Use bins with a lid and place them downwind and some distance from the sleeping area.

• Rinse cans and bottles before putting them in the recycling.
• Keep fruit in a closed container.
• Do not leave ice lollies or jam sandwiches lying around.
• Check cups before sipping.

Washing-up water and leftover drinks can draw wasps, so tip them away from the camp and rinse the bowl. Keep a damp cloth to hand to wipe down surfaces after meals, and put used cups in a closed box instead of leaving them on the table overnight.

Sleeping safely

Wasps are not usually active in the dark, but a nest nearby can be disturbed by movement and vibration. Keep tent flaps closed in the day, and check bedding and shoes before use. If a wasp gets into a tent, open the flap and let it leave; avoid swatting.

If someone is stung, wash the area, remove the sting if visible and use a cold pack. Swelling of the face, lips or throat, wheezing, difficulty breathing, dizziness or a widespread rash all mean an emergency call on 999. Anyone with a known allergy should speak to their GP before travelling.

After dark wasps are less lively, but a warm night can still find a few about. Use a torch to look at the ground before you walk to the toilet, and avoid brushing against hedges in the dark.

Before you leave a pitch, check that you have not carried a wasp home in your gear. Shake out tarpaulins, groundsheets and bags, and wipe down any sticky containers before you pack them away.

If the nest is at home

Sometimes the garden camp-out turns up a nest at home. If you find one near the area where you were planning to sleep or eat outside, move the activity to another part of the garden and have the nest dealt with before you use that space again. A fixed price makes it simple to decide.

When you speak to the booking team, say where the nest is in relation to where people will be, so the technician can plan. Tell them who will be present on the day.

After treatment, the area can be used again once the technician says it is safe. It is a good idea to inspect the garden each spring from late April, before you set up camp, so you know the lie of the land before the family arrives.

Wasp Nest Removal Essex works to a single fixed rate of £90 per nest with one visit guaranteed, plus £35 for any additional nest on the same property. Domestic and commercial properties are both part of the work, all work is fully insured, and the business is open seven days a week, offering same-day service.

Dial 01245 327274 or send the booking form from the contact page. At the time of booking, it is worth asking whether the empty nest can be taken down. Should someone at the property be allergic to stings, note it when booking, because the booking can then be prioritised.

Frequently asked questions

More wasp advice for Alresford