Concerned parents have been inundating pest-control firms with calls after the north-east was invaded by flying insects.
People living in Aberdeen and parts of the north-east started calling bug-killing firms on Friday morning worried swarms of wasps could attack children – but experts have assured them the critters are in fact harmless hoverflies.
According to Owen Mailer, owner of Aberdeen-based EPC Pest Control, the flies do not sting and are usually not attracted indoors – except for conservatories or rooms with plants.
“We’ve been inundated with calls. On Friday, we had about 25 – mostly from parents whose kids were playing in their back gardens and were covered in hoverflies.
“Mostly, we’ve been reassuring people that hoverflies are harmless, though we have been going to the homes of vulnerable people to double check they are not noticing wasps and we have more appointments booked this week.”
Mr Mailer said he has seen high levels of hoverflies in the north-east before but these are the biggest swarms he has seen in a decade working in pest control.
The insects tend to swarm when warm sunny weather follows a rainy spell as they are attracted to the honey dew from trees and plants.
Peter Stewart, of Aberkill pest control, said: “We are taking many calls from people who are in a panic as they think they are being invaded by swarms of wasps, but they are hoverflies.
“They are mainly in the gardens and we have had a report of them swarming an oil rig.
“Hoverflies are harmless and do not have a sting unlike the wasp.
“I would advise the public to keep doors and windows closed where possible to prevent them entering the home, or buy some fly mesh.
“Wasps, on the other hand, can be dangerous as one of our customers found out when they ended up in hospital with anaphylactic shock.
“My best advice would be to stay well away from wasps and not to try home-made methods of eradication such as using petrol. If in doubt, call in a professional to deal with the problem.”
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