Found a Wasp Nest in Your Loft in Selby? Here's What to Do
A shop, office or workshop owner often delays acting until a customer or employee is stung. A short checklist keeps people safe and the premises open.
The mistake: carrying on until someone is stung
For a business, the commonest mistake with a roof-space nest is to carry on as normal. A wasp in the shop is shrugged off, a second one is swatted, and a nest above the storeroom is left because customers have not complained. Then a member of staff is stung while fetching stock, or a customer is stung at the counter, and the owner is dealing with an incident rather than a nuisance.
A wasp nest in a commercial roof void is no different to one in a house, but the consequences of delay are wider. You have employees, visitors and perhaps food or goods to think about. A nest that is growing above the premises also makes it harder to rely on being able to open each day without disruption.
For a business in Selby, the sensible approach is to treat the first confirmed signs of a nest as a task for this week, not for later, and to arrange access in advance so the visit runs smoothly.
There is a practical point about records too. If you employ staff, a short note of what you saw, when, and what you did about it is sensible housekeeping. Whether anything further is needed depends on your own policies and insurance, which are worth checking rather than assuming.
Checklist for the owner or manager
Run through this list from outside the roof space, with staff briefed.
- Tell staff not to enter the loft, roof void or any storeroom directly beneath it until the nest has been treated.
- Put a simple notice on the door to the affected area, so temporary staff and visitors do not wander in.
- Move food, drink and open waste bins away from doors and windows near the affected area.
- Note where wasps are entering the building from outside, and where they appear inside.
- Find out who holds the keys and who can open up for the technician, and confirm whether the building belongs to you or to a landlord.
- If the building is leased, check the lease and any insurance policy for your position, because arrangements differ.
- Make sure a first-aid kit is stocked and someone knows what to do for a sting.
Consider, too, who is most likely to meet the nest first. It is usually whoever fetches stock, changes a bulb, checks a meter or looks after the building. Name that person, brief them privately, and make sure they know the roof space is off limits until the technician has attended.
Protecting customers and staff while you wait
Most businesses cannot simply close, so the aim is to keep the affected area out of use while the premises carry on. Shut the door to the room under the roof space. If wasps are coming through a light fitting or a vent, avoid using that part of the building and keep the lights off there at night.
If a customer is stung, offer a place to sit, wash the area, remove the sting if visible and apply a cold pack. Call 999 for swelling of the face, lips or throat, wheezing or difficulty breathing, dizziness or a widespread rash. Anyone who knows they are allergic should speak to their GP about their own plan.
Do not try to treat the nest with products from a shop, do not poke at the ceiling, and do not seal the entrance. All of those are likely to send wasps into the occupied areas of the building.
Booking for commercial premises
We work on domestic and commercial premises alike, seven days a week, and the same fixed price applies: £90 for a nest, with no call-out charge, and £35 for each additional nest on the same property. The price is confirmed on the phone before the technician visits, and no work starts until you agree it.
When you ring, tell us the type of premises, where the wasps are entering, who will be on site and how the technician can reach the roof space. Mention if the loft is accessed through a stockroom or an office, since that affects how the area should be cleared beforehand. Tell us too if any staff are allergic to stings.
We offer same-day service, which can help if you want the work done at a time that suits your opening hours.
One more thing worth settling in advance is the route. A technician arriving at a business needs to find the hatch or access point quickly, without squeezing past customers or stacked goods. A few minutes of tidying the approach beforehand saves time on the day.
What happens on the day
A trained, fully insured technician will assess the nest and treat it. Staff should keep out of the area while this takes place. The technician will let you know when it is safe to return, and what to watch for in the following days.
Wasps start nests from late April depending on the weather, and by August a colony can hold 2,000 to 10,000 or more wasps. Whether the empty nest can be removed is worth raising when you phone.
Keep your own timetable in mind too. If deliveries, inspections or a busy trading day are coming up, mention them on the call, so the visit can be arranged around them where possible.
Clear-up and next steps
After treatment, someone should clear dead wasps from floors and window ledges while wearing gloves, using a brush and a bag, and dispose of them in the bin. Check behind stock and in corners, where wasps can end up. If food is stored nearby, check it before it is used.
To book, call 0113 347 0014 or use the booking form on the contact page.
Wasps on your property in Selby?
Fixed price £90 per nest, no call-out charge, same-day service available.