Can You Remove a Wasp Nest Yourself? Advice for Aireborough Homeowners
Guessing what kind of insect is nesting, then acting on the guess, is the classic mistake; here is a safe identification checklist and what to do next.
The mistake: acting before you know what it is
The mistake we hear about most often is a homeowner reaching for a solution before knowing which insect they are dealing with. Honeybees, bumblebees and wasps can all fly in and out of a hole in a wall or the ground, and treating the wrong one can mean harming a bee colony that would have been better left alone or passed to a beekeeper.
If you are in the Aireborough area, north-west of Leeds, and something has set up home in your roof, wall or lawn, start with a few minutes of calm identification from a distance. It makes the rest of the decision much simpler.
What to look at, from a safe distance
You do not need to get close to tell the main groups apart. Stand well back and look at the insects in flight and at the entrance.
- Wasps have smooth, slim bodies with sharp yellow and black bands and a narrow waist. Bees look rounder and fuzzier, and honeybees are often a duller brown and gold.
- A wasp nest, where it can be seen, is a papery grey or brown material, a bit like thin cardboard. It is not wax.
- Wasps hover and dart quickly, flying straight into a small entrance. Bumblebees move in a slower, heavier way and often bob from flower to flower.
- Wasps are drawn to sugary drinks and meat on the patio. Bees are generally more interested in flowers.
- A swarm of honeybees hanging in a cluster on a branch is a different situation entirely and is not a wasp nest.
If you still cannot tell, that is fine. Describe what you see when you call and we will help you work out whether it sounds like wasps.
If it turns out not to be wasps
We treat wasps, and we do not treat bees, hornets or other pests. If the insects look like honeybees or bumblebees, contact a local beekeeper or the relevant bee organisation rather than trying to remove them. They will know how to help, and you avoid destroying insects that are valuable to gardens and crops.
Whichever insect it is, keep your distance in the meantime. Do not block the entrance, hit the wall or pour anything into a hole. A threatened colony of any kind will defend itself, and mistaking one for another is not a reason to take a chance.
What to do while you wait
Once you think it is wasps, the best response is a short list of simple actions that keep everyone safe.
- Note the entrance position and how high up it is.
- Keep children and pets away from that part of the garden or house.
- Close windows beside the nest and watch for wasps appearing indoors.
- Leave bins, drinks and food waste covered, since wasps are attracted to sweet and protein foods and can make the situation seem worse than it is.
- Do not use shop-bought cans, homemade mixtures or anything flammable, and do not try to knock the nest down.
- Avoid using strimmers, hedge cutters or mowers around the area.
A single wasp in the kitchen is not proof of a nest. A steady flow of wasps going into the same spot, however, is.
Reading the signs around your property
Identification is easier if you look at where the insects are rather than only at what they look like. Wasps nest in sheltered, dry places, such as roof spaces, wall cavities, sheds, garages, old rodent burrows and holes in lawns or banks. They often choose somewhere that stays warm, out of the wind.
The pattern of activity helps too. A wasp nest has a continuous stream of insects through the day, with a busy rhythm that builds as the season moves on. Wasps tend to be most noticeable in late summer, when colonies are at their largest and the workers are hunting for sugar. Bees do not become a nuisance around food and drink in the same way.
There are a few other clues. Chewed wood fibre around a gap and a faint rustling sound inside a wall point to wasps working on a nest. A small hole in the lawn with a steady flow of insects suggests a ground nest, and in that case the most important thing is to stop anyone, including the family dog, walking across or mowing over it.
Take notes rather than risks. A written description of the location, the height and what the insects look like is more valuable than a close-up photograph, and nobody gets stung writing it.
If you decide to leave things for a day or two before calling, keep a log of the numbers you see at different times of day. It will help the technician and also tells you whether activity is increasing.
Getting wasps treated in Aireborough
Once you are fairly confident it is wasps, ring 0113 347 0014 or use the online form on the contact page. Treatment is a fixed £90 per nest, with £35 for any additional nest on the same property, and there is no call-out charge. We are open seven days a week, offer same-day service and work on both homes and commercial premises.
You will be told the price over the phone before a technician visits, and no work starts until you have agreed. Trained technicians carry out the work, and it is fully insured.
Mention any allergy to wasp stings when booking so it can be taken into account. If you would like the empty nest removed afterwards, ask the technician at booking whether that can be done. Our team covers Aireborough and the surrounding villages.
Wasps on your property in Aireborough?
Fixed price £90 per nest, no call-out charge, same-day service available.