Wasps
Wasps - Vespula germanica
- A pest of summer that gathers in large structures called nests.
- Have the ability to carry out a painful sting. Some people are allergic and this can present complications.
- Attracted to sugary foods and wooded areas to build their nests.
- We don't treat bees! Contact us and we'll try and find you a beekeeper who can move the hive safely.
Signs of a bedbug infestation
Fast facts
Seasonal? Yes June- October
Food: They chew wood to make their nests. As the year draws on, they become more aggressive as food becomes harder to find and the more dominant wasps remain to become queens.
Did you know? Most colonies only survive one season, they do not re-use old nests. So once the season finishes, a new nest must be built.
Collective Noun: Swarm (of wasps)
The forming of a nest
- Usually found in dark, dry places.
- Lofts are particularly popular, in the overhang of the roof (eaves).
- Made of wood fibre which is stuck together using saliva from the wasp.
- In each cell of a nest - the queen lays a single egg. The time taken for this to become a wasp is anywhere between 4-6 weeks.
- Warm, dry springs enhance the likelihood of nest formation.
- Another queen may try to steal the nest, this tends to be possible when fewer than 10 worker wasps have formed. This is why many nests remain small (golf ball size) and never need wasp nest treatment or wasp nest removal.
Distinctive black and yellow colour. Aggressive if threatened and around food sources. Feed on a range of insects such as ants and can be useful in killing many other garden insect pests.
Nests are built in buildings with direct access to outdoors. Common places include the eaves of roofs and edges of ceilings. They can also be found in the ground and sometimes formed in unattended debris.
The queen seeks a location for the nest in the spring. They are rugby ball like strcutures which when filled emit a crackling sound as wasps move through the chewed wood.
Black and yellow, 10-20mm wide with wings and the queen is the same colour but larger.
Their sting is painful and stigma surrounds them. They can be a nuisance in outdoor settings involving food such as BBQ's.
They may find themselves inadvertently indoors in light fittings and window sill. Docile and unable to find their way back to the nest.
Get ahead of summer
In early summer and spring we can inspect lofts, remove dormant nests and install UV Control units to hinder queens searching for areas to build nests
Wasp nest treatment
Where necessary nests are treated and then wasp activity reduces within 72 hours. After this period the nest is dormant and does not pose a hazard.
Treatment is conducted from the loft or ground. It is not safe to treat nests from ladders given the aggressive nature of wasps. For nests in awkward to reach or tricky locations - we have access equipment which helps us complete the task.
Wasp Nest Removal
After treatment, the nest is then safe to approach and can be removed (location dependant). Remember, this is purely aesthetic, a correctly treated nest will never house wasps again.
