Hawke's Bay's Invasion of the Wasps - farmer stung more than 20 times

A lack of frosts in 2020 may have contributed to an increased number of wasps around Hawke's Bay this year, with paper wasps especially high. Photo / File

Those working in Hawke's Bay's great outdoors are being warned to watch for wasps as the stinging insects enter a "frenzied" state in preparation for the winter months.

Residents around the region have noted an increased number of wasps in recent weeks.

Takapau sheep and beef farmer James Crysell said it was "one of the worst years" for the winged insects.

"I've always been very prone to being stung."

A few weeks ago he was stung 20 to 30 times around the back of his neck and head after being swarmed while working in a paddock.

He thinks his dogs may have disturbed a nest, sending the wasps into attack mode.

Crysell said the attack left him "running blind through the paddock" as he took off his top layers and ran into a bog.

While not allergic to the stings, he said it was a "pain in the arse" and the experience had left him more cautious around the farm.

Takapau farmer James Crysell was the unfortunate victim of a wasp swarm when his dogs disturbed a nest in one of the paddocks leading to him being stung 20 to 30 times. Photo / File

Ross Howell, of Pestsaway in Napier, removed three nests this week.

While he considered it an "average season", he noted a lack of frosts last year might mean more wasps had survived, contributing to higher numbers this year.

Autumn was typically a busy time for wasps as they entered a "frenzied" state.

"People are noticing more at the moment because they're trying to build their nests before winter," he said.

There were also a lot more bugs around generally, meaning the wasps had plenty of food.

Howell said he'd heard of an incident in which a gardener removing some thistles was stung on his head, provoking an allergic reaction.

Whilst the gardener did have an epi-pen to hand, he still had to go to hospital to get checked out.

This year it was mostly paper wasps - which build small nests out of regurgitated woody material, about the size of a pear - which were causing the problems, as opposed to common or German wasps.

Howell warned one of the worst things about wasps was that they can sting you multiple times, unlike bees.

"If they get in your hair you are in trouble," he said.

Wasps also release pheromones when they sting so that other wasps swarm to that spot.

While there are plenty of at-home kits people can use to dispose of wasp nests, he urged people to take care and not hang about after trying to dispose of a paper wasp nest.