No, you’re not imagining it – more wasps may be invading your garden

Has your garden been swarmed by an unusually high number of wasps this summer? You may not be alone. Seirian Sumner, professor of behavioura...

Has your garden been swarmed by an unusually high number of wasps this summer? You may not be alone.

Seirian Sumner, professor of behavioural ecology at UCL, said the summer heat and dry conditions in spring, the driest in 132 years, have been “key for [the] success of social wasp colonies in the UK”.

The mercury rose to more than 33°C last month, marking England’s hottest June on record, and may hit 34°C over the coming days allowing insect numbers to thrive and provide prey for wasps.

Adam Hart, professor of science communication at the University of Gloucestershire, said it is “certainly the case that a warm early summer” offers favourable conditions for wasp populations to grow.

He told The i Paper: “It is too early to say for sure, but anecdotal reports seem to suggest that wasps are more numerous this year.”

Here, The i Paper takes a closer look at why wasp numbers have soared this summer – and what to do about your buzzing new neighbours.

Weather allows wasp queens to found colonies

Professor Sumner said the weather in spring and so far this summer indicates we will have a “good wasp year in 2025″.

She said: “This is a critical time for wasp colony founding when the lone foundress queen, who has emerged from hibernation, builds a nest and raises her first brood alone.

“Once the first brood emerge, she will stay in the nest as the egglaying queen, and her brood will take on the roles of workers – foraging, rearing brood and nest maintenance.

“There is a very high failure rate for nests prior to the first workers emerging: a cold and wet spring means foundress queen nests are more likely to fail.”

The warm summer so far has also allowed other insect populations to thrive, added Professor Sumner.

“This means there is lots of prey available for social wasps to hunt, and then feed to their brood,” she said.

Professor Sumner added that there “appears to be a negative frequency dependency in population dynamics in social wasps”, meaning that if population levels were high in one year, they would likely drop the next, and vice versa.

She said “this is likely due to competition for resources”.

While there is no Government monitoring scheme for wasp populations, citizen scientists observed a drop in numbers last year, indicating a rise could be expected this year.

“Anecdotally, our members have reported a noticeable increase in wasp activity across the UK this year, especially when compared to 2024,” Niall Gallagher, technical manager at the British Pest Control Association, said.

“Overall, it’s shaping up to be a strong year for wasps.”

The UK’s biggest annual monitoring scheme, the Big Wasp Survey, which is primarily run by citizen scientists and co-led by Professor Sumner, will be carrying out its next sampling phase between 2 and 10 August with the aim of eventually analysing trends over a 10-year period.

Daniel Steward, managing director at Shield Pest Control, told The i Paper his teams have been receiving a “noticeable increase in wasp-related enquiries this summer”, saying that rising temperatures appear to have “accelerated the wasp breeding cycle, with nests forming sooner and reaching larger sizes by mid-summer”.

What to do about wasps

Read Next: The ‘caveman’ hack that will keep your home cool this heatwave

“This shift means we’re seeing more callouts not just in volume, but also earlier in the year than previous years.

“Anecdotally, areas with prolonged sun exposure and nearby food or compost waste tend to experience higher wasp activity.”

Mr Steward urged “homeowners and businesses alike to be vigilant”.

“Key prevention tips include sealing any gaps around roof tiles, soffits, or vents – common entry points for wasps – and ensuring bins are properly sealed.

“Sugary drinks and uncovered food remain major attractants, especially during picnics, [barbecues], or outdoor events.

“DIY traps may offer a short-term solution, but for larger or hard-to-reach nests, it’s safer to consult with professionals.”

‘Don’t kill wasps – they’re natural pest controllers’

Professor Sumner warned that wasps themselves act as “natural pest controllers”, meaning killing them could lead to a spike in other insects.

She said: “The bottom line is that wasps are important parts of the ecosystem – just like bees.

“Wasps pollinate but they are also natural pest controllers – they regulate the populations of other insects.

“Like any top [apex] predator, their removal [e.g., if you kill the colony in your garden] has cascading impacts on the ecosystem: you might have fewer wasps but you’ll have more flies, caterpillars, aphids [and] spiders.

“We need to learn to live alongside wasps, appreciating them for their important role in the environment. You wouldn’t kill a bee colony, even though they sting. So don’t kill a wasp colony.

“Make space for nature, even if you find it a bit uncomfortable.”

Professor Hart backed the remarks, saying: “We have a tendency to think of wasps as ‘pests’ but they are incredibly important predators, pest controllers and pollinators.

“The best advice in the summer is to cover up any food or drinks outside – stop them finding it, and you hopefully might avoid a cloud of wasps spoiling a [barbecue] or picnic.”