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mauritius images
![Many wasps are buzzing through the air this summer.]()
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Many wasps are buzzing through the air this summer.
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Visuals Unlimited, Inc./Mark Plonsky
![Wasps are also pest control.]()
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Wasps are also pest control.
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BAA_2014_05_05
![One should keep a distance from a western pennest.]()
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One should keep a distance from a western pennest.
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They disturb every cozy night on the balcony: wasps buzz around every table – and sometimes stab too. This summer more often than in previous years. In the canton of Zurich alone, rescue services had to deploy 139 wasp stings in July.
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That is almost twice as many assignments as in the two previous years. Rescue helicopters were even used occasionally. Protection & Rescue Zurich announced this. The reason for the rescue operations were allergic reactions to the stitches. Those affected have severe swelling, circulatory problems or shortness of breath and can even pass out.
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Warm weather is to blame for many wasps
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According to the agronomist Marcus Schmidt from the Health and Environmental Department of Zurich, many wasps are on the move this year. The number is comparable to the hot summer of 2018. If spring is particularly sunny, the wasp queen wakes up from her winter stiffness in April – instead of May.
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It can now build its nest and peoples earlier. Under these conditions, according to Schmidt, almost all queens manage to raise one nation. If it was called and stayed dry in the following period, it is all the better for the eager insects. The food supply is large.
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But even if many wasps can be found this summer: Schmidt does not speak of a “wasp plague”. “Otherwise we’ll throw all wasps in the same pot.”
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Meat and sweets attract them
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There are nine different types of wasp in Switzerland. Most are peaceful if you leave their nests alone. Only two of the species are attracted to meat or sweets. Wasps are also important pest control. A large people eats about half a kilogram of flies, brakes, mosquitoes and pests on a midsummer day.
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The beekeeper and resettler of wasp nests, David Halblützel, notes that more and more people are accepting the wasps at their side. He gives some tips and tricks on how we can live undisturbed with the little animals and protect ourselves from stings.
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- Not wave your hands or crush the animal (exception: the animal gets caught in the hair).
- Not Blow away – carbon dioxide in the air you breathe signals danger.
- Use water spray as a defense – the wasp thinks it is raining and prefers to stand under it.
- Offer a food bowl with grapes, jam or maple syrup to distract the animals from their own delicacies.
- Keep calm with a wasp sting – the stings are only dangerous for people who are allergic. People with a suspected allergy or sting in the mouth or throat should call the medical team.
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