People who are afraid of wasps would be advised to either stay indoors or leave the country altogether for the next six weeks or so because of a large increase in this year's wasp population.
According to experts, because increased numbers of pregnant wasps survived the recent mild winters, huge numbers of dying wasps will be around over the next few weeks. Unlike bees, only pregnant wasps survive the winter; the remainder are forced out of the nests and die.
The dying season - which is also when wasps tend to sting people - has started earlier than usual this year because of higher survival levels and mild weather.
According to Ms Eanna Ni Lamhna, a wildlife expert, at this time of year, when nests are breaking up and food becomes scarce, dying wasps have to seek out sugar substitutes.
"If you are wearing a sweet-smelling shampoo or have just drunk Coke, they will buzz around you, but if you don't start trying to swat them, they will go away," Ms Ni Lamhna said. "However, wasps can be very dangerous, because they can continue to sting you. Multiple stings by a large number of wasps can cause death."
Dr Richard Collins, a weekly contributor to the Mooney Goes Wild on One programme on RTE radio, said that dying wasps were "naturally bad-tempered". He added: "They get a bad press, but they are very good at killing garden pests and live mainly on aphids until this time of year, when this source dries up."
Mr Philip McCabe, the beekeeper at An Grianan Horticultural College, said he had noticed an increase in wasp numbers. "I am dealing with two or three nests a day in people's houses, and that is higher than average for this time of year," he said.
A spokesman for Aardvark Pest Control Co in Dublin said there had been an upsurge in calls from people wanting their homes cleared of wasps. "We are dealing with 15 or 16 cases a day and I would like to warn people not to try and deal with the problem themselves, because too often we arrive as people are heading for hospital," he said.