A wasp nest found in a Hawke's Bay paddock. Video / Supplied
Hawke's Bay residents are urged to call in the professionals when trying to deal with pesky wasp nests.
Commercial beekeeper and part-time exterminator Kieran Chisnall, of Chizzy's Honey Ltd, noticed wasps starting to hang around hives in a paddock near Porangahau, 45km south of Waipukurau.
"This time of year,wasps attack bees," he explained.
"They can wipe out an entire hive."
Commercial beekeeper and part-time exterminator Kieran Chisnall stumbled upon "quite a big" wasp nest while in a Porangahau paddock tending to his hives. Photo / Supplied
While not allergic to bees, Chisnall is allergic to wasps and swells up quite badly.
He exterminated the nest using a powder while wearing a full bee suit and gloves.
"You have to be extremely careful.
"They will quickly attack."
Chisnall said wasps numbers were worse this year than in previous years because of milder winter conditions and fewer frosts, which wipe out wasp nests.
"I've never seen wasps so bad.
"The rivers are absolutely humming with them."
He encouraged anyone trying to remove a wasp nest to call the professionals.