When Is Wasp Season in Beck Hill?
The biggest wasp mistake families make is planning the summer holidays without allowing for the wasp calendar; here is how the weeks of the holidays line up with the colony’s growth.
Planning the holidays and ignoring the nest
The mistake most families make is a simple one: they plan the long summer break in detail, with trips, barbecues, paddling pools and garden parties, and they never think about the fact that the school holidays fall right where the wasp year reaches its peak. A nest that was a minor curiosity in June can be a major hazard by the time the children are home all day.
You do not have to give up the garden. A little foresight lets you find out whether there is a nest on or near your property before the holidays begin, deal with it, and then relax. This guide follows the summer in order for families in Beck Hill and the surrounding area, linking each stage of the colony’s growth to the things you are probably planning to do outdoors.
Before the break: June and early July
Wasps start building nests from late April, depending on the weather, and by June the first workers are out and the colony is growing. This is the quiet period before the holidays, and the best time for a thorough garden look.
Do the walk-round with the children’s activities in mind.
- Check the area around the climbing frame, trampoline and swing set, including any hollow posts or gaps in the frame.
- Look under the playhouse, the sandpit lid and the paddling pool cover.
- Check the shed where the bikes and garden toys are kept.
- Look along fences and hedges where the children play.
- Check the eaves above the patio doors.
If wasps are going in and out of any gap, explain to the children that this is a no-go zone, and arrange for the nest to be treated before the holidays rather than after the first sting.
Mid-summer: picnics, barbecues and open doors
Once school is out, the days are long and the garden is in constant use. By now the colony is large and its workers are out foraging in numbers. They look for protein to feed the grubs and for sweet food for themselves, so food that is left uncovered gets noticed quickly.
A few habits go a long way.
- Cover food and jugs on the table, and use cups with lids or straws for children’s drinks.
- Check a drink can or a cup before taking a sip.
- Wipe sticky fingers, faces and tables straight after eating.
- Put ice-lolly sticks and wrappers in a lidded bin straight away.
- Take the barbecue plates indoors once you have finished.
Holiday clubs, sleepovers and visiting grandparents add to the mix. It is worth telling any other adult who looks after the children where the nearest known nest is, and what to do if somebody is stung, so that the advice does not depend on one person being at home.
Teach children to stay still and calm if a wasp lands on them, and to walk away gently rather than flapping. Swatting and running tend to make matters worse.
August: the peak of the colony
August is the busiest time for a nest, which can hold between 2,000 and 10,000 or more wasps. It is often also the middle of the school holidays, so garden use and nest strength both reach their highest at the same time.
Use this checklist for the week ahead of a party or a bigger gathering.
- Re-check the roofline, shed and hedges for a flight path.
- If you see one, move the seating and food as far away as possible.
- Keep children and pets back from anything that looks like an entrance.
- Do not try to knock, block or hose a nest.
- Arrange treatment well before guests arrive if a nest is close to where people will be.
For an ordinary sting, wash the area, take out the sting if you can see it and apply a cold pack. If a child or adult has swelling of the face, lips or throat, difficulty breathing, wheezing, dizziness or a widespread rash, call 999. Anyone with a known allergy should speak to their GP, and you should tell us when you book.
Back to school and the end of the season
One more point for the holiday weeks: if you are going away, check the property before you leave and again when you return. A nest can start and grow in a few weeks, and returning to a house with wasps coming through the windows is an unpleasant welcome home.
By the time the children go back, usually into September, the colony is starting its decline. Wasps may be more persistent around sweet drinks and food for a while, and then numbers drop as autumn comes in.
It is worth making the most of this stage in a few ways.
- Walk the garden again and note where any nest was.
- Ask the technician whether the empty nest can be taken down.
- Check the school bag, lunchbox and drink bottles that live in the garden shed or porch.
- Rinse juice cartons and cans before they go in the recycling.
A nest that is left alone does not return the following year, but a queen can pick the same sort of spot, so a note in the diary for next spring is sensible.
Booking before the holidays begin
Beck Hill and its neighbouring areas are covered by Wasp Exterminator Leeds. Each nest is treated for a flat £90, and 1 visit is guaranteed, and if there is a second nest on the property it is £35.
There is no call-out charge, and we work 7 days a week, and same-day service is offered for homes and businesses alike. Before a visit, the price is confirmed with you on the phone, so there are no surprises and no work starts unless you say so. Ring us on 0113 347 0014 or send a booking through the contact page form. If someone is allergic to stings, tell us when you book, and ask us anything about the nest itself.
Wasps on your property in Beck Hill?
Fixed price £90 per nest, no call-out charge, same-day service available.