Do Wasps Return to the Same Nest Every Year? A Guide for Meanwood Gardens
Wasps will not reuse last year’s nest, but a garden full of food and sweet smells makes it a better place for a new colony to forage. Here is what to tidy.
The bin area in September
By late summer the bin store has become the busiest part of the garden. Wasps crawl around the rim of the recycling box, on the sticky inside of a cider bottle and over the lid of the food caddy. The family has started eating indoors and nobody wants to take the rubbish out.
A nest somewhere nearby has been feeding on the garden for weeks. When the season ends the colony dies, and you may assume the problem has gone away for good. It has gone away for the year. Next spring a new queen starts from scratch, and whether she stays near you depends on both the shelter she finds and the food the garden offers.
Food does not build a nest, but it matters
A nest is built where a queen finds shelter. Food and drink do not make her choose a site, but they affect how busy the surrounding garden becomes once the colony is up and running. Through the summer workers hunt and forage, and as the season advances they turn increasingly to sugary sources.
That is why late-summer wasps seem to be everywhere, and why a tidy garden is more comfortable even with a nest nearby. It is also why tidiness is a sensible habit, not a cure.
These steps are cheap and take little time.
- Keep wheelie bin and food waste caddy lids closed, and clean off any sticky residue.
- Rinse cans, bottles and jam jars before recycling them.
- Clear windfall apples, plums and pears from lawns and borders every day or two in late summer.
- Cover compost heaps with a lid or a layer of dry material.
- Do not leave pet food bowls outside, and wash them after use.
- Clear up after barbecues and picnics straight away, including drinks glasses.
If you put out food for garden birds, bring in anything sweet or sticky at the end of the day.
Eating outside without the stings
Most wasp stings happen at the table, not at the nest. A few small changes make mealtimes outdoors easier from July onward.
- Serve drinks in cups with lids, or use straws and keep an eye on the glass.
- Cover plates and bowls with a cloth or a net cover until people are ready to eat.
- Clear plates quickly, wipe sticky surfaces and sweep up crumbs.
- Check the rim of a can before drinking, because wasps crawl inside.
- Teach children to stay still and walk away calmly if a wasp lands, rather than flapping.
If a wasp lands on you, stay calm and let it fly off. If you are stung, wash the area, remove the sting if you can see it, and apply a cold pack. For signs of a serious allergic reaction, such as swelling of the face, lips or throat, wheezing or difficulty breathing, dizziness or a widespread rash, call 999. Anyone with a known allergy should talk to their GP.
A quiet, tidy table gets rid of most of the problem, though it will not remove a nearby nest. If wasps seem to be arriving in numbers regardless, that is a sign that a nest is close and worth looking for.
Thinking about the layout
Where you keep things matters. Put bins well away from doors, windows and the places where the family sits. If you have a choice, a bin store at the far end of the garden pulls wasps away from the house, rather than towards it.
At the same time, avoid putting food waste directly beside a hedge, shed or wall where a nest might be. A busy bin next to an eave with an old nest site only makes that part of the garden harder to use.
If you eat outside, use covers over dishes and drinks, and check cups and cans before you drink from them. Wasps crawl into open drinks and a sting in the mouth is a serious thing.
Where the nest might be, if the tidy-up is not enough
If you have done the housekeeping and the wasps are still plentiful, the nest is probably close, perhaps within the garden. Because workers fly out in all directions to feed, you may need to watch for a few days to see where they are going.
Stand somewhere safe on a warm afternoon and note the direction that wasps fly when they leave your table or bin. Then look for a pattern in where they come from when they return. A line of traffic to a bush, a wall, the ground or the roof tells you where to look.
Once you have a suspect position, stay back and note it. Do not approach, poke or block it. Share what you have seen with the technician when you call. It is a small piece of information that makes the visit easier, and it can save a second look.
Remember that a tidy garden is a comfort measure, not a treatment. If a nest is active, it needs dealing with.
After the first hard frosts you can safely check the garden. Look for an empty nest in the hedge, shed or eaves. Do not knock it down unless you are sure it is dead, and if it is out of reach leave it.
Make a note of where it was and repair any opening nearby, such as a gap in a board or a hole in the ground. Clear leaf litter and debris from the base of walls, which can hide small entrances.
Spring watch and getting help
From late April, depending on the weather, look out for large single wasps visiting one place repeatedly. If you have a nest, keep well away. Wasps can swarm and sting if disturbed.
If the nest turns out to be close, treatment is a fixed £90 per nest, with £35 for each extra nest at the same property, and no call-out fee. We agree the price with you by phone before anyone attends, and we do nothing without your go-ahead. We cover Meanwood, a suburb of Leeds, and nearby areas, open seven days, with same-day visits offered for homes and businesses. The technicians are trained and fully insured. Phone 0113 347 0014 or use the booking form on the contact page.
Mention any sting allergy when you book.
Wasps on your property in Meanwood?
Fixed price £90 per nest, no call-out charge, same-day service available.