Found a Wasp Nest in Your Loft in Lawnswood? Here's What to Do
Treating the wrong insect wastes time and can make matters worse. Here is how to tell wasps from bees before you pick up the phone.
Golden fuzz or smooth stripes?
A homeowner leans out of an upstairs window and sees insects going in and out of a gap under the roof. They look yellow and black, and they are about the right size to be wasps, but something about them looks softer. Before booking anyone, it makes sense to be sure.
We treat wasps only, so whether you are in Lawnswood or elsewhere, identification is the first step. Calling the wrong specialist loses a day,, and bees in particular deserve a specialist who can protect them.
Many people say they have wasps when the insects are in fact honeybees looking for a nesting site, or bumblebees. Others have hornets, which are larger and not the same thing as wasps. The distinction is not just academic, since each has a different specialist.
Taking a few minutes to look, listen and note the behaviour will save you time, and it means that when you do call, you can describe the insects accurately.
A quick tip for the phone call: describe size first, then colour, then behaviour. People often lead with colour, but plenty of insects are yellow and black.
Looking closely, from a distance
Do this from a window or from across the garden, never close to the entrance. Use binoculars or the zoom on a phone camera.
- Wasps have a smooth, shiny body with a narrow waist and sharply defined yellow and black bands.
- Honeybees are brownish and look slightly furry, with a more muted colouring.
- Bumblebees are large, round and very furry, and fly with a heavy, bumbling motion.
- Hornets are noticeably bigger than wasps, with a reddish-brown tone to the body.
Behaviour helps as well. Wasps are quick and direct, and hover around food and drinks. Bees tend to visit flowers, and a bumblebee nest is usually small, with only a few insects coming and going.
Size is the quickest clue. Wasps in the UK are slim and about the size of a thumbnail, whereas a bumblebee looks like a small ball of fur with wings. Colour is the next clue: if it is glossy with very crisp stripes, think wasp.
Watch where the insects land. Wasps will inspect meat, sweet food and drinks around the house, while bees ignore your picnic and head for flowers. A steady line of insects crossing the same spot to and from a roof gap does not tell you the species by itself, so use the other clues too.
If you are still unsure after all this, that is fine. Say what you have noticed and we will help you decide.
If it turns out to be bees
Do not try to move or kill them. Contact a local beekeeper or the relevant bee organisation, who can advise and, in some cases, collect a swarm or colony. We cannot help with honeybees or bumblebees.
The same goes for hornets and any other pest. We deal with wasps only, and we would rather tell you that on the phone than send somebody out for the wrong thing.
Do not worry about getting it wrong. If you think you have bees, it is better to ask the beekeeper or bee organisation than to guess. They would rather hear from you early, and many honeybee swarms are simply passing through.
A beekeeper may ask for a photograph and the location, so keep the picture you took from a distance.
If it looks like wasps
Then the advice for a loft nest applies. Keep the loft hatch shut, tape any gaps, keep children and pets away from the landing and do not block the entrance or poke the nest.
Describe what you have seen to us: the colour, the size, how quickly they move and where they come and go. A photo taken from a distance is useful. If we think it does not sound like wasps, we will say so.
Whichever insect it turns out to be, avoid blocking the hole, using aerosol products or banging on the ceiling. These steps cause trouble with any colony and put you at risk.
Keep pets and children inside while you work out what you are dealing with, and try not to stand directly beneath the entrance.
Booking
Ring 0113 347 0014, or use the online booking form on our contact page. We cover Lawnswood and the rest of the Leeds area, with same-day service seven days a week for homes and businesses.
Treating a wasp nest is a fixed £90, no call-out charge, confirmed on the phone before the visit, and an additional nest at the same property is £35. Work starts only with your agreement. If anyone in the home is allergic to wasp stings, tell us when booking.
When you phone, tell us about any signs you have already noticed: sound in the ceiling, insects inside the house or a regular flight path at the roofline. These all help us decide whether the call is one for us.
After the treatment
Our trained and fully insured technician will deal with the nest and explain what to expect. Ask at booking whether the empty nest can be taken down afterwards.
Dead wasps can be cleared with gloves and bagged. If you are stung, wash the area, take out the sting if visible and use a cold pack. Swelling of the face, lips or throat, wheezing, breathing problems, dizziness or a widespread rash need a 999 call.
If it does turn out to be bees, leave them alone, keep your distance and pass the details to a beekeeper or bee organisation rather than attempting anything yourself.
If it is wasps after all, do not delay for long. Colonies grow through the summer, so a nest that is small today will be busier in a few weeks.
Wasps on your property in Lawnswood?
Fixed price £90 per nest, no call-out charge, same-day service available.