Wasps have been causing a buzz at the PDC World Darts Championship – and one player has taken direct action.
Dutchman Jurjen van der Velde brought wasp spray on stage before his first-round tie against Danny Noppert at Alexandra Palace in London.
But there was a sting in the tale as Van der Velde was beaten 3-1 by his compatriot.
And despite liberally spraying the inspect repellant around beforehand, TV replays showed him attempting to swat a wasp away from near his face in the second set.
At one stage, the 23-year-old used a flannel to wipe tears from his eyes – but it seems this was down to making his tournament debut rather than the bug killer.
The Professional Darts Corporation, the tournament organisers, posted on social media: “Unconfirmed whether Jurjen Van der Velde is emotional or has sprayed bug spray in his eyes.”
The ‘Ally Pally wasp’ has become a running theme at this year’s tournament with the insects spotted on players, disrupting throws, and even gatecrashing post-match interviews.
Earlier on Tuesday, a wasp landed in Harju’s Teemu Harju’s shirt collar before the Finn managed to flick it away during his defeat by Alan Soutar.
World-leading wasp expert Professor Seirian Sumner of University College London told the BBC earlier this week that he believes the insects are queen wasps, who could be nesting in the lofts, outbuildings or the grounds around the park.
Alexandra Palace is surrounded by nature, positioned inside 196 acres of land in north London, and home to a range of different wildlife.