Wasps Are Becoming Extinct in the UK: How Will It Affect Us? Learn Why Wasps Are Important
Wasps are often associated with being a nuisance, and picnics or a day out with the family can be plagued by these flying insects.
However, despite their bad reputation, wasps are an important part of our ecosystem. They thrive in warmer months because they need lots of insects to feed their young.
This year, however, their numbers have been greatly reduced due to colder and wetter weather and climate change, which have had a global impact on the number of these insects.
The drastic reduction in the numbers of these invertebrates has been chronicled by gardeners, experts, and pest controllers.
The question that pops up in the mind of every individual is: What do wasps do, why do we need them, and will they return?
According to EraserPest owner James Tennent, who was called out to treat between 60 and 80 wasp nests this time last year, the numbers of wasps are so low that it is almost unbelievable.
In comparison, EraserPest, which covers Essex, Suffolk, and Cambridgeshire, has been forced to deal with only eight nests during June 2024 and about 10 in July.
James Tennent stated,
‘We had done a lot by this time last year and couldn’t cope with the amount of calls. This year, there have been some days where we’re waiting for the phone. People haven’t been outside as much to spot them building up.’
James blames this phenomenon on the weather, which has had an impact on the number of wasps and nests being found.
He also stated that some of the nests they have discovered were as big as basketballs, or bigger.
In a report by the BBC, lavender farms in Hertfordshire and Norfolk have noticed a lack of nests in their fields this year.
There is an unusually low number of wasps around the time they typically begin to build up.
Coming to the importance of wasps and why they are so important, they are accidental pollinators and play a valuable part in the pollination process.
If the wasps disappear, the world will be left grappling with spiders and insects, according to the Natural History Museum.
As per experts, wasps in the UK eliminate 14 million kilograms of insects such as caterpillars and greenfly, making them important friends to gardeners.
