Defending champion Luke Littler and many of darts’ biggest names have been upstaged during the opening week of the 2026 World Darts Championship — by a wasp. The Alexandra Palace wasp is a recurring phenomenon, notorious for wreaking havoc at the Worlds, and this year it has arguably hogged the limelight more than ever.
Why does it keep happening, what — if anything — is being done to prevent it, and what are the wasp’s greatest Ally Pally moments?
Why is there an Alexandra Palace wasp?
By late autumn, worker wasp colonies die back because of food scarcity and colder weather, leaving queen wasps to survive and hibernate through winter. The Ally Pally intruder is likely a queen whose hibernation has been intermittently interrupted by the warmth of thousands of fans, stage spotlights and broadcast equipment.
The PDC explained: “It’s nature… the venue has loads of open parkland here. At this time of year the queen wasps look for somewhere warm and dry so end up in places like this, especially given the doors that are open during the rig but also with fans arriving, etc. When inside they are drawn to light and heat, therefore end up at the stage.”
Opened in 1875 and protected as a Grade II listed building, Alexandra Palace offers endless nooks and crannies where a wasp can shelter through winter. Its location within 196 acres of parkland, rich in wildlife, further increases the chance of insects being attracted to the venue.
What are the wasp’s Ally Pally greatest hits?
The wasp’s Ally Pally debut is generally traced to Adrian Lewis being stung during his 2012 title defence. Since then, sightings and incidents have become part of the tournament’s lore.
– Luke Littler greeted this year’s interaction as a possible good omen, recalling how Lewis went on to defend his title. Littler had an earlier run-in in 2024 when he felt a “little zap” during his quarter-final.
– Ross Smith was stung three times during a match in 2023 and has had other encounters since.
– Players including Rob Cross, Sebastian Bialecki and others have had wasps land on them mid-match or during interviews.
– Ted Evetts flicked a wasp off his collar after Luke Humphries’ match, only for it to reappear later. The insect even survived what appeared to be a strike from Nitin Kumar’s dart in one match.
– Peter Wright’s mohawk drew attention from a wasp back in 2017.
– The wasp hasn’t limited itself to darts: at The Masters snooker tournament at Alexandra Palace earlier in the year it was seen buzzing around Shaun Murphy in the final against Kyren Wilson.
Is it the same wasp each year?
Fans and players often joke about a single, immortal Ally Pally wasp, but biologically it’s unlikely the exact same insect survives across multiple years. Still, the idea fits the tournament’s festive folklore: whether it’s one determined queen or different wasps each year, the sightings persist.
Is anything being done?
Measures are limited by the nature of the building and its setting. Doors are opened during rigging and when fans arrive, and the palace’s age, design and parkland location make it hard to fully seal. The PDC’s stance leans on inevitability: the venue attracts wildlife and wasps seek warmth and light, so occasional gatecrashers are almost unavoidable. Event staff will swat or remove insects when possible, but heavy-handed measures are constrained by the listed status of the building and the impracticality of eliminating all entry points during a major event.
The wasp’s place in Ally Pally lore
Over the years the wasp has become a quirky hallmark of the World Championship — sometimes treated as a lucky charm, sometimes a nuisance, occasionally a painful interruption. Players and fans alike now expect the possibility of a buzzy cameo; whether it’s a superstition-bestowing omen or just nature turning up for the show depends on what you believe.