Wasp Nest in a Hedge or Bush – What Alwoodley Garden Owners Should Know
If a gardener or tree surgeon is booked to cut your hedge and you notice wasps beforehand, the best move is to postpone the visit and deal with the nest first.
The day before the gardener arrives
The gardener is coming tomorrow to cut the big hedge, which is a job you have put off for weeks. Out of habit you walk down the garden this afternoon to see what needs doing, and you see wasps going in and out of one spot in the hedge. Nobody has been stung, nothing has happened, and yet you know what is waiting for the person with the trimmer.
This is a good moment, because it is the one time you can prevent an incident rather than deal with one. A call today, before the cut, is much better than a call tomorrow after the swarm.
Householders in Alwoodley and elsewhere meet this regularly, because a long hedge has a lot of places for a nest to hide.
If you have already told the gardener to come, there is no shame in cancelling at short notice for this reason. Anyone who works with hedges understands why.
Telling your gardener
Contact them as soon as you can, by phone or message, and be clear about it. You do not need to give a long explanation.
- Say that you have seen wasps entering the hedge, and describe roughly where.
- Ask them to hold off cutting that hedge until you confirm the nest has been dealt with.
- Offer to rebook for a few days later, or ask whether they can do another part of the garden meanwhile.
- Ask them not to approach the hedge to look for themselves.
Most gardeners will thank you for this, because they know better than anyone what a nest does to a hedge-cutting day. If they arrive without having heard, ask them to stop at the gate.
If the gardener has a team, make sure the message reaches everyone who will be on site, since the person who answers the phone may not be the person holding the trimmer.
Why a cut on a large hedge is so risky
Long hedges mean long runs with powered tools, usually from the ground or a ladder, and the person cutting is concentrating on the line of the blade, not on what is in the foliage. They are also wearing ear defenders, so the hum of a colony goes unheard.
A nest in a run of hedge can be struck from either side. Vibration reaches it long before the blade does, and wasps will come out towards the person who is holding the tool. The August peak, with up to 10,000 wasps or more in a nest, is the worst time, though a nest from late April on is already enough to cause trouble.
Be wary of the idea of cutting only the part that seems clear. Nests can be well inside the hedge, and the noise travels along it.
It also helps to think about what else is on the schedule that day. Strimming the base of the hedge, using a leaf blower or running a mower along the edge makes noise and shaking at ground level, which is no good if the nest is low down.
Arranging the treatment
Wasp Exterminator Leeds treats nests in hedges at a fixed £90 per nest, and £35 for an additional nest on the same property. There is no call-out charge, and we confirm the price on the phone before the technician visits. No work is carried out unless you agree.
We offer same-day service, seven days a week, to homes and businesses, with trained technicians and full insurance. Phone 0113 347 0014, or use the form on the contact page at /contact-us/. If you have a time you want the gardener to return by, say so at booking.
If anyone in the household is allergic to stings, tell us when you book. We can take that into account.
Once you have booked, a short message to the gardener confirming the date helps them plan their week, and keeps both of you on the same page about when the hedge can be started.
Rebooking the work
Once the technician has treated the nest, ask them when the hedge is safe to cut. Give that information to your gardener, so that they can come back on a date that suits. A short delay is better than a rushed trim.
Ask also whether the empty nest can be taken down. Gardeners find it easier to cut a hedge that no longer contains a large papery object they cannot see.
It is worth adding a note to the gardener’s regular visits: a quick check of the hedge for wasp flight lines in May and June, before the first big cut. It takes a minute and protects everyone.
A short delay costs little. A hedge left a week longer is still a hedge, and a trimmer is quickly back to work once the nest has been dealt with and you have the technician’s word that all is clear.
If the gardener has already started
Sometimes the call comes too late, and the wasps are already out. If that happens, the person with the tool should switch it off, put it down and walk away calmly and quickly, preferably into a building. Keep others away from the hedge.
Do not go back for tools or to see what is happening. Wash and treat any stings, and call 999 if someone shows signs of a serious reaction, such as swelling of the face, lips or throat, difficulty breathing, dizziness or a widespread rash. Then ring us to arrange treatment.
The same applies to tree surgeons, fencing contractors and anyone else working beside the hedge. Anyone using a ladder, a pole saw or a power tool near a nest is at risk, so the news about a nest needs to reach every one of them before they arrive.
Wasps on your property in Alwoodley?
Fixed price £90 per nest, no call-out charge, same-day service available.