Alexandra Palace has been the home of the PDC World Championship since 2008, but arrows are not the only thing known to fly across the stage.
A wasp — affectionately known as the Ally Pally wasp — has got closer to the players and action than the thousands of fans in attendance each day.
The Ally Pally wasp may sound like another creative nickname in the sport known for Peter ‘Snakebite’ Wright, and Jonny ‘The Ferret’ Clayton, among others, but its myth has been creating a buzz since the 2012 championship.
This year, world No 114 Jurjen van der Velde used wasp spray on stage to contend with it, only to be left flapping when it flew nearby.
Ross Smith was stung three times on his left hand following a third-round victory in 2023 and must have had flashbacks when he was stung live on air after victory in this year’s first round.
Others have seen the wasp as a good omen. When the insect was first sighted on stage at the championships in 2012, reigning champion Adrian Lewis was two sets down before being stung and completing a comeback victory.
Similar luck followed the wasp this year for the World Championship’s first Kenyan player, David Munyua. It landed on Munyua’s face before he won from two sets down to upset world No 18 Mike De Decker.
“I got it. I tried to put it in my pocket to stay with me because I love going through tough things,” Munyana, who is a full-time vet, said post-match. It is the 30-year-old’s first time outside of Africa.
“I’ve seen how it’s been interfering with other players. At this place, you need maximum concentration, so when you have a little disturbance, you need to get over it.”
David Munyua, a vet, was inspired by the insect (Andrew Redington/Getty Images)
Darts has become a staple of the sporting calendar in the UK and across Europe and while Munyua and Japan’s Motomu Sakai have become new fan favourites, the Ally Pally wasp has unexpectedly stolen the show in the opening round.
Jokes were made that the infamous inhabitant had been killed off when Ted Evetts flicked a wasp in his first round match.
Were it to be the same wasp, the tournament veteran with various World Championship appearances under its belt? In reality, it is impossible that a single wasp did all this work, as the longest-living wasps are expected to live for two to five years.
Jurjen van der Velde brought a fly spray onto the stage for his match (Bradley Collyer/PA Images via Getty Images)
The event’s sponsors, the bookmaker Paddy Power, even offered odds on the wasp’s appearances. They paid out at 16-1 on the wasp to be seen on three or more days of the broadcast.
On day nine, The Athletic eagerly awaited its arrival. It took some time, but it coincidentally appeared during the day’s primetime match-up between 21-year-old sensation Beau Greaves and Daryl Gurney, on the shoulder of the three-time women’s world champion Greaves. It did not bring her luck though as Gurney triumphed 3-2.
It struck again in the following match as Nathan Aspinall — nicknamed ‘The Asp’ before the wasp shot to prominence — pointed it out to opponent Lourence Ilagan, who danced around it. Commentator Wayne Mardle let out screams to add to the drama.
A wasp gets up close and personal with Nathan Aspinall as he takes aim (Andrew Redington/Getty Images)
Worker wasps have died off due to food scarcity and the colder climate at this time of year, leaving just queen wasps to hibernate through the winter. Fittingly, it is the queen wasps seen at the palace.
In a statement, Alexandra Palace said: “Alexandra Palace and Park is a Charitable Trust set within 196 acres of parkland, a vital area of green space in north London. The Park supports a wide range of wildlife, including insects, plants, birds and trees, alongside being a major cultural events venue.
“At this time of year, wasps may seek out dry places, including large buildings. With doors frequently open during event builds and tournament sessions, venues create warm conditions through stage lighting and heat from audiences, meaning insects may unintentionally become active in public areas.
“Alexandra Palace monitors the situation and takes non-intrusive measures in line with the site’s environmental responsibilities.”
The venue opened in May 1873 and during its long history has hosted many events, from the BBC’s first TV show to music acts such as the Rolling Stones and Jay-Z.
It sits at the peak of a hill, tough work for inebriated darts fans in fancy dress. Inside it is unapologetically rowdy and costumes range from Ali G to Batman and Santa. Smart consumers could have reused their Halloween outfits from a couple of months ago.
Chants such as ‘stand up if you love the darts’ ring out, but players must remain focused with the winner of the 128-player tournament claiming a £1million ($1.33m) prize — doubled from £500,000 and the highest ever prize pot.
Luke Littler, 18, is hoping to retain the title after making history by becoming the youngest champion last year. He avoided a wasp in a post-match interview on Sky Sports after his first-round victory this week. Littler said: “I think someone put one (a wasp) in the crowd for a joke. They’ve got to!
“Did he (Lewis) go on to defend it?” Littler continued, referring to Lewis being stung on the way to his title defence in 2012. “Well, that might be written in the stars then.”
While wasps may be good at putting off darts players, they also hunt garden pests and pollinate plants, playing an important role in ecosystems.
The PDC World Championship, which runs from mid-December to early January, represents the pinnacle of the darts environment.
Much like wasps, it has its own important place in sport, even if not everyone values them.