South-East plagued by a 'summer of wasps'

Plagues of wasps are causing problems throughout the South-East, experts warned today.

The mild winters and recent heatwaves have caused a breeding frenzy.

As the weather cools, the wasps become sluggish and experts say this is when they are at their most dangerous.

They say it is "the summer of wasps".

Local councils say they have been deluged with calls from people discovering wasps' nests.

A spokeswoman for Medway Council said: "We have had to hire three new people just to cope with the demand for wasp control."

Stuart Hine of the Natural History Museum said: "The real key to the big increase in wasps is the fact we had a very hot May."

Despite the deluge of nests, experts warned people against trying to remove them. "It really is a job for a professional," cautioned Mr Hine.

Common wasps live in a colony which can contain up to 2,000 insects. A wasp colony consists of a queen, worker wasps, drones and larvae. Wasps are seen from April to October.