Wasps

The queen wasp is larger than normal wasps (about 20mm) and she hibernates over winter, making a nest in the spring in which to lay her eggs. She feeds the grubs on insects until they develop into worker wasps, three to four weeks later. Workers, all sterile females, forage for over a mile in search of food.

At the end of the year when the colder air arrives, and any fruit that has been edible starts to perish quickly, wasps start to starve as food becomes increasingly hard to find. The adult worker wasps start to die off and the new queen wasps go into hibernation, and emerge in the spring to start the process again, building completely brand new nests. One
nest may produce 30,000 wasps in a year.

Wasps can also be confused with bees, in particular Honey Bees - however these vary in color from golden brown to almost black and are furrier than wasps.

Only female wasps have a sting which they can use repeatedly, if they feel under threat. In most cases a wasp sting causes no long term harm, but it can be life threatening if you are allergic to stings. Treating a wasp nest is often the most efficient way to control a wasp problem and reduce the threat of stings.

Wasps can build nests outdoors under eaves or, if they can gain access, they can find sheltered areas inside your home, such as wall cavities, roof spaces and attics.  If a nest is discovered in early spring, removal using DIY products may be possible but the danger from stings will remain.