The Ally Pally wasps are back - but where are they coming from?

The World Darts Championship is under way - and the buzz at Alexandra Palace is not only coming from the fans in fancy dress or the action on the oche.

Instead, the affectionately known 'Ally Pally wasp' is back in the spotlight.

Eagle-eyed supporters have spotted them landing on players, disrupting throws, and even gatecrashing post-match interviews.

Defending champion Luke Littler was forced to take evasive action to avoid a sting after his first-round victory.

One wasp got a little too close to the action when it was struck by Nitin Kumar's dart mid-flight.

It got to the point that Jurjen van der Velde even brought bug spray on stage before his first-round tie against Danny Noppert.

Its most notorious moment came in 2023 when Ross Smith was stung three times while on stage after his round three win.

Unsurprisingly "stand up, if you love the wasp" has caught on as the anthem of the tournament.

World-leading wasp expert Professor Seirian Sumner of University College London 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.

"At this time of year the queen wasps look for somewhere warm and dry so end up in places like this," said the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC).

"When inside they are drawn to light and heat, therefore end up at the stage."

Worker wasps typically die by November and December, leaving just the newly mated queens to go and find somewhere to hibernate.

"This is a time of year when you don't normally encounter wasps. It is unusual," Professor Sumner told BBC Sport.

"I believe what is probably happening is that you are using the space and it's being heated up and that is waking up the queens prematurely before they should do.

"Or potentially it is the mild weather. We have had quite a mild spell recently and they are coming out of hibernation when they shouldn't be."

Prof Sumner said that wasps are important in the environment as "pest controllers, pollinators and decomposers".

"It is absolutely great news that Ally Pally have this really healthy population of wasps because they are doing a really important service in the parks and gardens around that area."

The best way to avoid them? Stay still, as flapping your arms can cause wasps to sting.

While some players have found them to be a nuisance, Northern Ireland's Brendan Dolan suggested that they are a lucky charm.

"Anybody that has had the Ally Pally wasp all play well," he told BBC Sport.

"The main one is Ross Smith. As soon as he wiped it off, all his luck went.

"I was hoping it will land on me, but in another way, I would not like to get stung by it."

Darts fan Max said: "It's absolute chaos at the Ally Pally as it is, so it is nice to have the wasp in. If he is not here I'll be disappointed."

Another fan, Emma, said: "I think the wasps add to the fun!"

But some fans are not too pleased.

"I think Ted Evetts, who flicked it the other night, should have killed it there and then! They'll all come back," said Ally Pally spectator Scott.

"It has become a tradition, but not a tradition we want. You don't want to be putting the players off their darts."

It is not just the darts that brings out the wasps. They have also made appearances at the Masters Snooker at the same venue in January.

Earlier this year, the famed wasp was spotted buzzing around Shaun Murphy in the final against Kyren Wilson.

If it's bright lights and colours that appeal to wasps, then there can surely be no better place to be than in Alexandra Palace in December?

Even for the first-round matches, the venue is sold out with fans dressed as traffic cones, Minions and the Teletubbies.

Needless to say, with a capacity of over 3,000 fans it's very hot in here, making it a much nicer place than braving a London winter. Add in the fizzy drinks on the tables at all times of the day, why would you choose anywhere else?

While I can't see any wasps myself, the room has very high ceilings and lots of draped fabric around the stage - meaning there are plenty of places to hide.

This article is the latest from BBC Sport's Ask Me Anything team.