This is why there are so many wasps flying around Sheffield at the moment

A high of 33.2C (91.6F) at Heathrow Airport made it the country's hottest August Bank Holiday Monday on record.

There were clear blue skies and balmy temperatures in Sheffield as people made the most of the warm weather over the long weekend.

But, the conditions also brought a tonne of wasps – a fact that was not lost on city residents.

And if you were thinking that there are even more wasps than normal for this time of year then you would be correct.

The UK enjoyed a particularly warmer start to the year than normal which is believed to have affected the breeding seasons of all creepy crawlies.

And, with the hot and humid weather continuing this summer, flies and wasps have thrived under the conditions and helped them live longer and breed more.

Speaking to The Sun, Natalie Bungay, a technical officer for the British Pest Control Association (BPCA) said: “With all insects, they really thrive in balmy, warm, hot water, that it how their metabolism works.

“There will always be more of them in warmer temperatures - it’s going to bring more insects, flies, wasps and bees.”

The British Pest Control Association (BPCA) said they have recently seen an increase in the number of call-outs in regards to wasps.

A spokesperson said: “In reality, wasps will usually only attack a person if they feel threatened. The problem is a social wasp in distress emits a pheromone that sends nearby colony members into a defensive, stinging frenzy.

"That’s right - scare a wasp and it might call for backup."

How to protect your home

Head of technical training academy at Rentokil Pest Control, David Cross, said: “If you have actually got a nest in your garden or compost heap or rafters of your house, then you can have that treated.”

“We recommend calling in professional pest controllers because they have the right equipment - we advise against DIY jobs as they can get pretty angry and there is a risk of getting stung.”

BPCA advice on how to protect against wasps:

Be careful when children have ice cream or lollies as wasps are attracted to these

Keep a sting remedy to hand

If you don’t have access to this, cutting an onion in half and placing it on the site of the sting can also help

To gain further advice on wasps, rats and mice visit the BPCA website at: bpca.org.uk/PestAware