When Is Wasp Season in Pool-in-Wharfedale?
The usual error with a property that is empty for weeks at a time is to assume nothing can happen while nobody is home; wasps do not wait for the owner to return.
Assuming an empty property stays empty
The mistake owners of empty or part-time properties tend to make is to think that no one living there means nothing is happening there. A house that sits quiet for a few weeks in spring is exactly the kind of place a queen may choose. Nobody walks past the eaves, nobody opens the shed, and nobody notices a wasp slipping into a gap until the nest is large.
This guide is for people who look after a property they do not live in all the time: second-home owners, holiday-let hosts, people with an elderly relative’s house, those with a property between tenants, and landlords or managing agents who visit periodically. It is written with Pool-in-Wharfedale in mind but applies anywhere. It sets out a simple routine, tied to the wasp calendar, so that whoever visits knows what to look for.
The spring visit: before queens settle
From late April, depending on the weather, queens begin to set up nests. Aim for a visit in early to mid April, and look at the outside of the property first.
- Look all round the roofline, fascia and soffits for gaps or damage.
- Check chimney pots, caps and flashing.
- Look at vents, airbricks and openings around pipes.
- Check sheds, garages, bin stores and outbuildings, inside and out.
- Look at hedges, climbers and any bare earth near the walls.
Then go inside and check the loft if there is safe access. A faint papery smell or a rustling sound from a wall or ceiling is worth noting. Take photographs of anything unusual, from a safe distance, so that anyone else visiting later has something to compare against.
Summer: when visits are less frequent
Between June and August the colony grows, and the nest, if there is one, becomes much more obvious. The trouble with a property that is visited rarely is that the first visit of the summer may find a nest at full strength with no warning. Arrange a regular look every few weeks, or ask a neighbour, cleaner or handyman to check on your behalf and report any increase in wasps.
- On arrival, stop and look at the front and back doors before you go in.
- Watch for a stream of wasps at one gap in the roof or wall.
- Check windows for a build-up of wasps inside the glass.
- Look for wasps in the kitchen, bedrooms and bathroom, which may suggest a way in from the loft.
Cleaners and tradespeople are often the first to meet a nest. Tell them in advance whom to call, and ask them to report any wasp activity rather than carry on regardless. A short message with a photograph is usually enough to let you decide what to do.
If you find wasps indoors, do not go around the property swatting. Open a window away from the nest, close internal doors, and find out where they are coming from.
August: guests, keys and safety
August is the peak, with a nest holding anywhere from 2,000 to 10,000 or more wasps. If the property is let to holiday guests, this is the time for a careful check just before each changeover, because a nest next to a door, a patio or a barbecue can affect guests who know nothing about it.
- Look at the entrance, the patio and the outdoor seating before each arrival.
- Leave a short note for guests explaining who to contact if they see a lot of wasps.
- Ask guests not to try to deal with a nest themselves.
- Keep food waste in lidded bins and empty them between stays.
A guest who is allergic should tell the owner, and the owner should pass that on when arranging treatment. Whether you or a guest is responsible for particular steps depends on your lettings arrangement or your tenancy terms, so check those rather than assuming. For a sting, wash it, remove the sting if visible and use a cold pack. Dial 999 if the face, lips or throat swell, or if there is difficulty breathing, dizziness or a widespread rash.
Autumn: closing up and recording
As the colony declines in September and October, an empty property gets a final check before it is closed up for winter. A nest that was active in summer will have been left behind. Make a record of what you find.
- Write down where any nest was and the date it was treated.
- Fix the gap that allowed access once you are sure nothing is using it.
- Find out from the technician whether the empty nest can come down.
- Clear the loft, shed and garage of anything that gives shelter.
If the property is shut up for the winter, one more job is worth doing: look inside the loft hatch and the cupboards on the top floor. Old, dry nests found in spring are easy to mistake for new ones, so having a dated note saves worry.
Keep these notes with the property’s paperwork so the next person to visit, or the next manager, knows where to look.
Booking when you are not on site
Pool-in-Wharfedale and its neighbouring areas are covered by Wasp Exterminator Leeds. Treating a nest is a fixed £90 per nest, with 1 visit 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, with same-day service offered and the job done by trained technicians who are fully insured. Before a visit, the price is confirmed with you on the phone, and nothing goes ahead without your agreement. Call 0113 347 0014 or send a booking through the contact page form. Say who will be at the property to let the technician in, and mention any allergy at the same time.
Wasps on your property in Pool-in-Wharfedale?
Fixed price £90 per nest, no call-out charge, same-day service available.