A nest in a shed roof is a different matter from one above a bedroom window. Here is how to decide what to do, and when to do it, in a Thorney Wood home.
Wasp nests start small in spring, built by a single queen, and grow all summer. By late August the colony is at its largest and workers are at their most irritable, especially when they are hunting sugary foods. After the first hard frosts the workers die, the nest is abandoned and it will not be used again. The question is what risk it poses between now and then.
A nest in a quiet corner of a garage that nobody enters is low risk. A nest above the front door, in the cavity wall near a child's bedroom or in a loft hatch is high risk.
Thorney Wood, east of the city centre and close to Sneinton, has Victorian terraces and later housing. Wasps use what is available. In terraces, a queen will often squeeze behind a loose fascia or into a gap in old brickwork. In later houses, airbricks, soffits and gaps round extractor fans are common. Once the nest gets going, wasps can enter and leave a gap the width of a finger.
Gardens add another set of possibilities: compost heaps, old rodent burrows, hollow trees and under sheds. Ground nests are often found by accident when someone mows the lawn.
We treat wasp nests for a fixed cost of £90. We offer a same day response seven days a week, and if the nest is still active within 30 days we return. The technician will tell you where they will work and how they will reach the nest, whether it is in a roof, wall or garden.
After treatment you may see a few wasps for a day or so, which is normal. Do not seal the entrance until activity has stopped. Once the nest is dead we can advise on blocking the gap so no queen takes the same site next year.
If the nest is far from anyone and you are happy to wait, it will die off in winter. If it is near doors, windows, washing lines or children, treating it sooner is wiser. We will tell you honestly which category you fall into.
Timing is useful to know. A nest found in May is often the size of a golf ball and has few workers, while the same nest in September may hold thousands. Early nests are easier to deal with, so do not leave a small one in a risky spot on the grounds that it looks harmless.
Call 0115 937 5117 and we will talk it through.
If the nest is away from where people go, usually yes. The colony dies off and the nest is not reused. If it is near an entrance, window or garden path, treating it sooner is safer.
Tell us. Wasp nests are treated for a fixed cost of £90, and if the nest is still active within 30 days we return for a further visit.
Tell us what you have seen and where, and we will come back to you. Prices are fixed and there is no call-out charge.
