Help survey wasps over the bank holiday weekend

Wasps might not be the nation's favourite insects but are some of the most important so UCL and University of Gloucestershire scientists are again asking for the public's help to find out more about these misunderstood creatures. "Wasps are predators, pest controllers and pollinators - they are absolutely vital for a healthy ecosystem and they deserve our respect. We need to find out more about them!" explained Dr Seirian Sumner (UCL Genetics, Evolution & Environment) who is a scientist working on the Big Wasp Survey. This Bank Holiday Weekend, the Big Wasp Survey is asking people to set up homemade wasp traps and send in what they catch. Scientists will then sort through and identify the captured wasps from all over the country, allowing them to find out what species are living where. With huge increases in pest control callouts, it's shaping up to be a bumper year for wasps, but with insects generally struggling, finding out the health of the nation's wasp population has never been more important. This year's Big Wasp Survey builds on the successes of last year's survey, which also took place over the August Bank Holiday Weekend.