Ecopiakos Ecological Solutions - VAT 05534520878
CHARACTERISTICS OF WASPS
Wasps are stinging hymenopterans, insects belonging to the Vespidae family. They are called eusocial insects, meaning colonies of insects that raise their young together by dividing up the work. The most common are of the genus Polistes, they live in small colonies, and their nests consist of a single comb of cells without an envelope. Of this species, the dominulus is the Italian one, which, due to its preference for building its nests on constructions, artifacts, and buildings, often makes cohabitation with humans impossible.
Wasps lay their eggs directly on the bottom of the cells, attaching them with a sticky secretion. While in the first days after the nest is created all the founding females can lay eggs, after ten days only the dominant female can lay eggs. Wasps of the Polistes family are commonly called paper wasps because they build their nests by mixing wood particles with saliva, and their color resembles that of cardboard.
Wasps are social insects, living in colonies inside wasp nests and some species in underground nests. Wasps are equipped with a stinger that they use as a weapon to attack or defend themselves.
Unlike bees, wasps can sting more than once and remain alive, so they are more dangerous. Bees sting only if they have no other choice, as they know that after stinging their stinger remains attached to the victim, detaching along with the abdomen, resulting in the bee's death. This is due to the structure of the stinger, which in bees is like a harpoon—once it penetrates, it does not come out—while in wasps it is like a needle. When wasps are disturbed, even unintentionally, they attack by stinging to defend the colony.
Their sting often causes severe irritation and in some cases even anaphylactic shock. Wasp nests are not always visible. Some colonies are made up of 1000-2000 individuals. Some species of wasps can be particularly aggressive; if disturbed, they attack humans, and with their stings can inject large amounts of venom, especially when they attack in swarms. If you find yourself needing to move near a nest or, unfortunately, disturb them, the suggestion is to avoid sudden and abrupt movements in an attempt to escape the attack.
Different types of wasps
Vespa crabro, is the hornet; Dolichovespula, the nests are generally found in attics, they have a rounded shape and look like cardboard balls; Polistes gallicus, is the common wasp, the nests are simple combs, we find them on the walls and railings of buildings; Vespula germanica, is the wasp that builds nests in the ground, sometimes like Dolichovespula takes advantage of cracks in the walls.
What we can do
Intervention against hornets and wasps, unless it is a nest in the mailbox, requires working at height, often using convenient lifting equipment. These tools are mistakenly seen as useless appendages, however, the extra cost is justified by safety and by the damage to the tiles that could be caused by walking on them. Then, you need to wear additional protective clothing. In addition to the classic personal protective equipment, you need a suit or a beekeeper's smock—depending on the case—equipped with a mesh mask: these provide protection especially against hornet attacks. The intervention involves the use of knockdown insecticide solutions and the removal of nests, when possible. Cloudy and dark skies during disinfestation can help: when wasps escape, a few drops remain in the nest, and we will hit them for sure. Apart from some simple cases to solve, the rest should be handled by a professional pest controller.
Live Documentation
Our interventions also take place at private citizens' homes: this is justified because this type of issue, although it concerns safety, does not fall within the responsibilities of the Fire Department, as it occurs in private areas.
Ecopiakos Ecological Solutions - VAT 05534520878