Don't get stung in the sun

Despite the recent stormy weather, wasps in Sevenoaks District are fighting back in record numbers this year, so much so that Sevenoaks Direct Services has already dealt with more wasps' nests than it did during all of last summer.

It is thought that this year's mild winter and warm spring has been a major contributing factor to an explosion of the wasp population all over the country. The lack of spring-time frosts has meant that a large proportion of the nests built by the queens in April and May have survived and by August the worker wasps have reached their population peak.

This summer the Council's Pest Control Officers have already dealt with a huge 748 nests, compared with 645 last year over the course of the whole season, which can last until October.

In response, Sevenoaks Direct Services has trained up another member of staff to meet the increase in demand.

However, it's not all bad news as wasps feed their young with caterpillars and eat many other insects, and therefore work as a natural insectiside.

Cllr Avril Hunter, Cabinet member with responsibility for the environment, says: "There has been a marked increase in the number of calls that we have received this year and our Pest Control Team has certainly been kept busy. We all know that, at times, wasps can be a bother, but I would urge anyone who has a serious problem to get in touch with the experts."

The Council's Pest Control Team keep a whole range of pests at bay, including flees, rats, ants, bedbugs and cockroaches. For more information or to book the Pest Control service, call Sevenoaks District Council on 01732 227000 or e-mail community.services@sevenoaks.gov.uk