One out of every four rescue dispatches in Ulsan, South Korea, is for the removal of wasp nests during the summer [1].
This volume of calls places significant pressure on fire-service resources, diverting personnel and equipment from other potential emergencies during the hottest months of the year.
Fire department personnel, including volunteer fire brigade members, have been deployed to residential areas such as Ulju-gun to dismantle nests. In one instance, responders found a nest the size of an adult's palm attached beneath the eaves of a house [2].
Data shows that approximately 20,000 nest-removal dispatches have been recorded in Ulsan over the past three years [1]. The activity is heavily seasonal, with about 80% of these calls occurring between July and September [1].
This year, the surge began early. About 77% of the current year's nest-removal dispatches occurred in June and July [1]. The increased activity of yellow-jackets during the summer heat has turned nest removal into a primary duty for rescue teams.
"Wasp nest removal has become a major part of the rescue team's dispatch duties, accounting for one out of every four rescue calls," a YTN News anchor said [1].
“One out of every four rescue dispatches in Ulsan is for the removal of wasp nests during the summer.”
The high volume of wasp-related calls indicates a growing intersection between urban residential living and seasonal insect activity. As these removals now constitute 25% of rescue dispatches, the Ulsan fire department may face resource allocation challenges, potentially necessitating a shift in how non-life-threatening biological hazards are managed during the summer peak.
