Parks are the best place for a wasp attack
With the summer holidays upon us, the last thing that is needed is anupset child. One thing, well one insect that is bound to do some damage is the wasp.
Those pesky little things can ruin a day out. Rentokil is advising parents to be more wasp aware over the coming weeks to minimise the risk of children being stung whilst out and about.
A new survey reveals that two-thirds of mums worry about the threat of wasp stings in the summer. These can cause severe reactions and over 300,000 people in the UK suffer allergic reactions to stings. Research of 500 mums also shows that over three-quarters would not know how to treat anaphylactic shock if their child experienced it.
Savvas Othon, technical director at Rentokil Pest Control says: “As a parent, I understand why wasps make people nervous as they can be unpredictable. The trick is to avoid staying in areas where wasps may cluster such as around ice cream vans or rubbish bins in picnic areas.
"Wasps do get more aggressive towards the end of the summer as there are no developing larvae for them to feed and they tend to seek out just carbohydrates. It makes sense to encourage your children to be extra vigilant when eating carb-packed snacks around this time.”
Rentokil has the following top tips for parents to minimise wasp threats:
· Encourage your child to stay calm in the presence of wasps. The best advice is to move away slowly; waving arms or swatting wasps will increase their tendency to sting
· Wasps are attracted to bright colours. If you’re planning to spend time outdoors, muted or pastel shades will help prevent your child being targeted
· Don’t walk barefoot outside and look out for wasps before sitting down
· Wasps will make a beeline for sweet drinks and foods. Encourage children to use lids and wrap food as soon as you’ve finished eating
· Ensure children wipe their faces and hands after eating sweet things like lollies and ice-creams to minimize further temptation for wasps
· Remember that insect repellents gohand in hand with sun cream in the hot weather
· Research the difference between wasps and bees. While both are bright yellow and black striped, there are noticeable differences between the insects. For example, wasps tend to be less hairy than bees, their eyes are kidney shaped and their bodies more pointed, with a noticeable waist. Being stung by a bee is quite rare as they are much less aggressive than wasps.
"While just 0.5% of the population suffers an acute allergic reaction to wasp stings, we always advise simple precautions to minimize any risks. If you or your children suffer a severe allergic reaction after a bee or wasp sting it is important to seek medical help immediately and then ask your GP to refer you to an Allergy Specialist," says Dr Shuaib Nasser, Consultant in Allergy, Addenbrookes NHS Trust Hospital, Cambridge and member of The Anaphylaxis Campaign Clinical and Scientific Advisory Panel.
Femalefirst Taryn Davies
Tagged in Parenting