Wasps vs Bees – How to Identify Them Before Arranging Pest Control in Leicester Forest East
If children have spotted insects in the garden, a calm routine for looking, learning and staying safe helps the whole family tell wasps from bees and know when to call.
Starting with calm
Children are quick to spot an insect and quicker still to scream about it. A parent’s reaction sets the tone, so the first aim is to keep the mood steady. Wasps and bees are both part of summer, and most encounters pass without incident when everyone stays still and moves away quietly.
Explain in simple terms that wasps and bees do not want to hurt anyone. They sting only to protect themselves or their home. If a child understands that, they are less likely to flap and run, which are the things that provoke stings.
Then use the situation as a chance to look closely, from a safe place, and learn something together.
It also helps to choose the right moment. Do the explaining indoors or at a safe distance, not in the middle of a sting scare, when attention and memory are poor.
A family spotting game
A simple game makes the differences memorable. Ask the children to look at an insect from a window and answer three questions.
- Is it furry or shiny? Furry points to a bee, shiny to a wasp.
- Is it round and chubby or slim with a thin waist? Chubby is a bee, slim is a wasp.
- Is it visiting flowers or heading for your lemonade? Flowers suggest a bee, sweet drinks suggest a wasp.
Children often enjoy the idea of a detective job, and it keeps them away from the insects while they gather clues. Make a note of the answers and use them if you need to phone for advice.
You can add a fourth question for older children: where is it going? Wasps from a nest go to the same hole repeatedly. Bees visit many flowers one after another. Drawing a little map of the garden showing where the traffic goes is a nice way to record the answer.
Let them draw what they see, too. A quick sketch of the shape of the body is often more accurate than a description.
Stick the answers on the fridge for the week so the whole family can see them and agree before anyone phones.
House rules for the garden
A few firm rules keep everyone safe whichever insect it is.
- Never go near a hole, nest or cluster of insects, however curious you feel.
- Do not throw things at insects or poke their entrances.
- Stay still if one lands on you, and walk away slowly if it stays.
- Keep drinks covered and check cans and cups before sipping.
- Tell an adult straight away about any nest or swarm you spot.
Telling children what to do is more effective than telling them what not to do, so give them a job such as reporting any nest to you.
For birthday parties and play dates, tell the other adults about any known nest beforehand, and agree where to play and eat. Putting the paddling pool or picnic away from the area is simple and effective.
Teach them to walk, not run, away from any insect that lands on them, and to tell you afterwards.
If a child is stung
Stay calm, move the child away from the insects and look for a sting in the skin. If you can see it, remove it quickly. Wash the area, and put a cold pack or cold damp cloth on it to ease the swelling. Offer comfort and keep an eye on them.
If there is swelling of the face, lips or throat, wheezing or trouble breathing, dizziness or a widespread rash, call 999 immediately. If your child has a known allergy, speak to your GP about what to do, and let us know when you book so that we can take it into account.
Keep sandals on in the garden during summer. Many stings happen to bare feet when a child steps on a wasp in the grass.
A fallen ice lolly or a sticky cup left on the lawn draws wasps in. Tidy these up promptly and rinse them.
When the insects are bees
Explain to the children that bees are helpful. They carry pollen from flower to flower, which helps plants make fruit and seeds. A bumblebee nest in the garden can be a lesson in nature if you watch from a distance.
If you have honeybees clustered on a branch or in a wall, or bumblebees nesting somewhere awkward, speak to a local beekeeper or the relevant bee organisation. We treat wasps only, and we would rather point you to the right help than attend a visit that does not suit the situation.
For a bumblebee colony or a swarm, the family can make a plan to leave the area alone for the weeks involved. Children can keep a diary of what they notice from the window.
When the insects are wasps
If your family game points to wasps, and especially if you can see steady traffic to a hole near the house, it is time to book. We can attend in Leicester Forest East and the surrounding villages, treating a nest at a fixed price of £95 per nest, with an additional nest on the same property at £35 per nest, and no call-out charge.
Our trained, fully insured technicians work for domestic and commercial customers, seven days a week, with same-day service available. Phone 0116 214 9259 or use the contact page. We confirm the price on the phone first and carry out no work without your agreement. In the meantime, keep children and pets indoors or well away from the entrance.
It is worth telling children, simply, that the technician will check that everything is safe, and that they should stay inside while the work is under way.
Wasps on your property in Leicester Forest East?
Fixed price £95 per nest, no call-out charge, same-day service available.