I’m a pest control expert – here is why you should NEVER kill wasps

A PEST control expert has warned people to never kill wasps – and the real reason is shocking.

Wasp experts have revealed that the pests are “essential pollinators” and don’t need to be killed.

They said that when a wasp is killed, it emits a panic signal which attracts other wasps.

A spokesperson from Waspinator, a device that deters wasps, said: “When you kill a wasp it emits a pheromone panic signal which will attract other wasps to see what the problem is.

“Kill a wasp and five more will come to its funeral.

“Wasps, as annoying as they are for us humans, are an essential part of nature and of the balance of insect life in your garden.”

But there is a way to deter the pests.

A spokesperson from assistance provider HomeServe said people should spray wasps with washing up liquid and water.

He said: “Spraying this on the pests will effectively suffocate them and can either be sprayed directly on them or in the nest.

“Other tactics include keeping the doors/windows shut when possible, keeping rubbish away from entry points as this can attract them, and fill any holes in the walls.”

He added: “If you have unsuccessfully tried to deal with your pest solution yourself, it would be wise to call in a trusted specialist to help you get to the root of the issue.

“They’ll have specialised equipment and training to help get your home pest free and will advise on how to stop the problem from recurring.”

This comes after HomeServe warn that they expect to see a 150% increase in wasps this summer due to the hot weather.

It is estimated that there are up to one million wasps per square mile in the UK.

With 94,058 square miles in Britain, that works out at an incredible 94 billion wasps flying around our shores.

If the prediction is accurate, that means we’ll see the wasp population hit 235bn – that’s a rise of 141 billion.

With a human population of around 67m, that means wasps will outnumber us 3,500-to-one.