Certainly a a lot more of them this year.
We also have loads of wasps in our garden. (I have a phobia aswell!) We tracked down a nest in the next door neighbours garden. Told them and they said they would do something about it. Anyway, would seem that they have done something as the wasps are not coming and going from there anymore.
However, we still have an abundance of the little blighters to the point where my OH was out there Sunday afternoon murdering them. (They seem quite dopey) Yesterday I let out the dogs and one of them snapped at a wasp, with that I witnessed the wasp sting him right on his muzzle. Blighters!
I hate them, nasty things. Never tried a Waspinator as I have read mixed reviews.