The very mild weather last winter, the lack of human presence in the green spaces during the lockdown, and the high temperatures of the summer explain the current increase in the number of wasps.

2020 is the year of the coronavirus… but also of the wasps. From charming little country towns to large urban centres, in the North and in the South, there is no part of France that hasn’t been invaded.

Thanks to very mild winter temperatures, a sunny spring, and confinement that has allowed nature to recover, the wasps are abounding. And with the current heatwave and drought, it didn’t take much for them to continue to flourish.

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Since late spring, they have overwhelmed the companies specialised in nest hunting.

“The wasps are more active in hot weather,” explains Mathieu Rat, a pest control specialist in the Gironde department (southwestern France). “Compared to previous years, there’s a lot more activity in the region,” he says.

How to keep the wasps away?

Wasps are attracted to food, both salty and sweet. So don’t leave your food lying around on the table in the open air for too long.

However, there are a few tips for eating outdoors. You can, for example, burn coffee grounds near you, as it acts as a repellent. In the same spirit, you can also spray white vinegar nearby, says the specialist.

And to draw them away, you can also put a sweetened drink several dozen metres from the table or your picnic area.

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More extreme, the electric racket to kill wasps also works wonders. But it is not a solution that we recommend, because these flying insects play a key role in the balance of our ecosystem.

“When there’s no immediate danger, no allergic people, I try as much as possible not to kill them. Wasps are very useful insects,” Mathieu Rat reminds us.

How to react to a wasp nest?

However, if you find a nest, these solutions will only be temporary. “As long as the queen is in the nest, she will lay eggs and there will be new wasps,” says the insect control expert.

To get rid of them definitively, the only solution is to take them away. But whether the nest is outside or underground, don’t do it yourself. You might get stung, especially since wasps can sting several times, unlike bees.

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Also, do not block the hole to access the nest, as they will look for another exit way out.

It is still advisable to call on a team of professionals who will remove the swarm safely, or use chemical treatment as a last resort.