Aren't there loads about this year in the UK. My senior dog got stung yesterday and The Sod has just been stung today. Saxon the senior was OK just a lip got and only a little but the poor Sod was scared to death and peed himself in fright, so he has had a Piriton and I am watching him, but apart of a lot of slobber (and pee) he seems all right.

I've never known as many as there are this year. Touch wood, none here (human or canine) have been stung yet, but I'm sure it's only a matter of time.

Aparently there are 40 % more wasps this year because the winter wasnt cold enough to kill off the queens.
Hope that explains things!!!
Lea :) (who got fed up and ended up killing them on holiday as everytime we stopped for a pint/ food outside we had loads around us!!!!)

There definitely are more this year ..there was a report on the BBC news the other week about it ... Here

i got stung at national gundog and that was the first time but i gess in a bright orange jacket that is asking for trouble lol i always avoid them but there are to many this year to fo that
fiona

There seems to be a lot of flys around too, I have never seen so many in the house as I have this year.  Hope it doesn't mean the house is dirtier this year

Somone else tell me they have them too..........

Sandra

Loads here too. :(  It'll be worse when the fruit's ripe on our trees.

We had a nest in the straw stack a few months ago but my hubby managed to get rid of them (and got stung once in the process) He's since been stung again at a neighbours house and our son has been stung too. We've now got a nest on the edge of the house roof (though thankfully they aren't in the loft) so we're putting jars of watered down jam on the garden wall and managing to drown loads of them :D

We sometimes get queens overwintering in our woodshed, then by the warmth of log fire they wake up and suddenly come flying out of the log basket and we have to dive for cover (or scream and run out in my case)

Kath.

I had a nest in my porch which my dad bravely climbed up and put some stuff in to kill them, it took two attempts to get rid of the horrid little things though.  My cats were playing a form of tennis with a wasp the other day on the window sill batting it to each other, I dont know how they didnt get stung :rolleyes:  Fagan was stung at a show the other week, he screamed and screamed and screamed .......... he is ok now after big cuddles and half a piriton, a bit of a drama queen is my boy :D :D :D

Have had a few extra flies, asked the OH to cut the hedge back this morning so I could get some hot soapy water in there before the disinfectant as I was loosing the battle against my dogs early morning empting. Yesterday it was, even to me, very smelly but to day it is a pleasure to walk about out there. What is it about stormy weather that brings out odours?

I live close to a "water treatment works" (sewage farm ;) ) and you always know if its going to be a nice day the next day because the evening before it stinks

As a dreadful wasp phobic I have had loads of time to make some observations about the little devils.  These are from my own experience, and those of my family :D

Wasps are very attracted to yellow - any shade.  So no-one comes out with me in summer wearing or carrying anything remotely yellow ;)

Sugar attracts wasps faster than anything in July/August.  So no-one comes on a picnic with me if they bring sweet stuff, only sugar-free drinks please ;)

If I take BREWERS YEAST tablets (2/3 a day) through the summer wasps aren't interested in me :D :D :D   I found this out by accident when the doctor prescribed it for me when I was pregnant.  For the first time in my life wasps ignored me, they followed the people I was with, but ignored me :D :D :D this was truly remarkable as I was known in my family as the one guaranteed to attract wasps.  And as they don't have any interest in me I don't get stung anymore (not in the last ten years any way)  :D :D :D :D

Don't know if it will help anyone else but I hope so - being stung is an awful experience.

> Sugar attracts wasps faster than anything in July/August. 

Our jam jars are still working a treat ;)  but there's still loads buzzing about. :(    I guess it's the brewers yeast for me then, thanks for the tip. :)

Blondebird88, what was the stuff your dad put in to kill them?

Kath.
Bzzz zzzzz zzz Thwack! :D

It was awful at training on sunday, this flippin' wasp followed me all round the playground and we were trying to do 'sit stay' but I kept saying 'sit gerroff stay ooh scream' Maddie just looked, head cocked to one side, quite bemused at my commands!  It didn't matter how much I ducked and dived and batted my arms about, it wouldn't leave me alone!

leaving doors and windows open is a nightmare.

Kath, the stuff my dad used was a special wasp nest powder that you just put in the nest he had to do it a couple of times to get it to work though - everytime he came round I kept sending him up the ladder to add a bit more :D :D :D  Im not sure where you would get it from I assume homebase would be a good start, go to be cheaper than the council, they were going to charge me £32

Thanks BB. :)   My brother was charged £40, I don't think that was the council though. I bet there's a waiting list too, they must be raking in the money this year!

thanks again
Kath. x

Our council have a 10 day waiting list and have had to employ outside contractors because they are so busy :)

Beer works just as well as brewer's yeast apparently.
:) :)

hello all....well after a long time trying to join champ dogs and my pc keep telling me something about cookies...with the help of emma....mumford...ive managed...just to let you all know...a stafford died recently down south having been stung by a wasp...so please be carefull... a friend told me all about how clever her dog was at catching wasps and flies ect...since hearing this latest wasp story she now discourages her dog from this...so please be carefull...jayne.xx

Does anyone know is it toothpaste on a wasp sting or vinegar I know its one of these for a wasp sting and one for a bee sting. We have Aloe Vera spray for Abby as she tries to eat them every chance she gets.
Mary

vinegar for wasps and i think bicarbs for bees

Treating a sting in the mouth with anything is difficult so I use Piriton or something similar. Was working with some minced meat (beef) the other day and the dam wasps were grabbing pieces of that and flying off with it so they may like sweet things but they are not that fussy.

You're right Jackie about them not being too fussy.  I take sausages out on walks (no, not on the lead, as treats :D ) and I often have wasps buzzing around my hand trying to take a sneaky bite.

Our Boxer Bruce got stung about 2 years ago and had a bad reaction. He had to be rushed to the vets for treatment, luckly this has only happened once since then and he was fine but we spend the whole summer watching him like a hawk and running round with fly/wasp killer and a rolled up paper, although you need about half a can of the fly killer to work on them.

i cant say i have noticed anymore flyes but its not been that hot here recentally
fiona

I hae wasps almost as much as i do spiders... well probably more im scared of spiders but at least they don't hurt you for no reason and they seem to love me as they follow me all the time.

Anymore tips for something to keep them away??? They seem to come near me whether i wear bright clothes, have sugary stuff or not.

Leo hasn't been stung but he does try and chase them and we discourage him but you know what dogs are like :-\

Interesting what everyone is saying - Is it ok to give dogs piriton then? We dont have any we have the piriteze one a day but they might be too strong? I might get some piriton just in case

You should use either Piriton original or one of those produced by the chemists (Boots) do not use the non-drowsy type as they contain a different product, it is the original ones you need for dogs. The does is higher that it would be for us and I have been told to give a bitch that weighs 18kg, 3 a day all at once in the morning, I did and it worked a treat but for wasps or any other slight allergic reaction I just give one as quick as possible don't wait till the dog is showing symptoms. If the reaction is violent then you can give more till you can get to a vet for an injection - injections work quicker.

Instead of worrying whether it is bicarb for bees or vinegar for vasps :D  Just carry around the homeopathic remedy Apis Mel 30c available from boots; effective for all stings and on both dogs and humans :D

Eating marmite keeps insects away too, obviously they don't like yeast!

Perhaps they just don't like Marmite :)

My friends SBT pup was stung last week and had bad reaction, rushed to the vets....he was swollen up from top to toe, and breathing was very shallow, Vet said he would of died if they hadnt of got him there so quick....Scarey....but after treatment he was fine in a few hrs.........

My vet told me to keep some benadryl childs lintose in, as it not only helps with pain and swelling but stop's the dog going into shock and that he has known it save lives.