Sting in the tail is a good thing, say (deluded) experts

Wasp numbers are on the rise after the UK's warmest spring

- By HARRIETTE BOUCHER

They interrupt your picnic and put you at risk of a sting – and are surely one of the most hated insects in the country.

In what will be dismal news for some, the UK is seeing an abundance of wasps this season after a record warm and dry spring this year. But experts say the increase in numbers is actually a good thing for the environment.

Wildlife professor Adam Hart, from the University of Gloucestershire, said: "Wasps are great pest controllers, pollinators and predators. They are widely vilified, but they are an essential part of the wider ecosystem."