Wasps and hornets are naturally aggressive insects and are highly protective of their
nests and food sources.
When feeling threatened, they emit a pheromone that attracts their friends, so it is
not
advisable to approach or attempt to remove a wasp or hornets’ nest yourself. This is
where Pestoid can help!
When do wasps nest?
Wasps usually start nesting in early spring or summer. The queen looks for a good place
to build a nest and starts by creating a small one about the size of a golf ball. She
then lays eggs that hatch into worker wasps (drones). These workers take over building
the nest, which grows quickly over the next few weeks.
At first, nests are often too small to notice. But if left alone, they can grow to the
size of a football—or even as big as a washing machine by the end of the season. A large
nest can hold around 10,000 wasps, so it’s best to deal with it early before it gets too
big.
What does a wasp nest
look
like?
Wasp nests are usually a light brown colour and have a paper-like
appearance.
Wasps construct nests from scrapings of wood and timber that is mixed
with
saliva,
this
is the reason for their papery appearance. You will often see wasps on
garden
furniture
and fences chewing at the wood.
Signs of a wasp nest
Apart from actually stumbling upon a wasp nest, there are a number of
things
that
might indicate the presence of one in your home. The most obvious
indicator
is
seeing a large number of wasps in or around your property. You may then
notice
that
they gravitate towards specific areas, which can give you an idea of
where
the
nest
is located however this I usually where our expert eye comes into play.
How to get rid of a wasp nest
Many people are severely allergic to wasp/hornet/bee stings and often is the case you
don’t know until you get stung. There is no circumstance where we would recommend that
anyone should try to treat a nest themselves.
At Pestoid Pest Control we’d always recommend that wasp nest treatments are conducted by
a professional. We complete treatments in a controlled manner with specialist access and
application equipment; nests are usually completely dead within a few hours following
our treatments. We also offer guaranteed results for added peace of mind.
Will wasps return to a destroyed nest?
Wasps do not return to a destroyed nest.
If left to their own devices wasps would naturally die once colder weather and sub zero
evenings set in. New queen wasps leave nests at the end of the season and hibernate
overwinter ready to start the process again the following spring, all other wasps left
in the nest including the current queen would die.
Common wasp nest locations
Wasps commonly build nests in quiet, sheltered areas like lofts, sheds, and even
underground. Lofts and sheds are ideal because they’re often undisturbed and provide
good protection, while underground nests usually form in old animal burrows and can be
dangerous if accidentally stepped on or disturbed. All three locations pose a risk,
especially since nests may go unnoticed until they become a serious problem.
