Hikers asked to report wasp nests and to pack antihistamine
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A perfect storm of weather conditions has created an unusually large number of yellow jacket wasp nests near hiking trails, a B.C. search and rescue volunteer has warned.
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“If you’ve been hiking recently, you’ve probably noticed them. And they are fierce this year,” said Maria Masiar, training officer with Lions Bay Search and Rescue.
“According to B.C. pest experts, a relatively mild winter followed by an early, warm spring allowed more queen yellow jackets to survive hibernation and establish new colonies. With a longer growing season, those colonies have had more time to expand, resulting in larger, more defensive nests.”
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Masiar said yellow jackets build their nests underground, meaning they are easily disturbed by hikers or dogs. Once a nest has been disturbed, the male wasps become aggressive and will sting anything seen as threat. Unlike a bee, a wasp can sting multiple times, and there can be thousands of wasps in a nest.
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Masiar said wasp stings are painful and can remain so for several days. The greater concern, she said, was anaphylactic shock as the result of a sting that can lead to swelling of the lips, tongue or throat.
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”That is a medical emergency,” Masiar said.
“An EpiPen is the only first-line treatment for anaphylaxis. If you’ve been prescribed one, always carry two when heading into the backcountry and call 911 immediately after using one.”
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All hikers are encouraged to pack an antihistamine product like Claritin or Reactine and hydrocortisone cream.
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Search and rescue official are also asking hikers not to try to remove nests.
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“Any time you start disturbing a hive, they will attack,” Masiar said.
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Instead, hikers are asked to report the location of the nest to tracking website wasp-watch.com. These reports will also be uploaded to the popular alltrails.com website.
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According to Westside Pest Control, there are about 18 types of wasps in B.C. though the three most commonly encountered are yellow jackets, paper wasps or bald-faced hornets. Wasps are typically most active in July and August.
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