Wasp Nests Under Roof Tiles – A Common Problem for Selby Homes
Edging closer to photograph the entrance is the habit that gets people stung. This guide shows how to collect useful details from a safe distance before you phone.
The mistake: edging closer for the perfect photo
When wasps are vanishing under a roof tile, the natural thing to do is take a picture. The problem begins when the picture is not good enough, and you take one step closer, then another, until you are standing beside the wall with your phone held up at the gap. That is exactly where a nest is most likely to react.
Good details matter, because they make the phone call quick and the visit smooth. But they can be gathered from a distance. This is a checklist of what is worth noting and how to do it safely, whether you live in Selby, a North Yorkshire market town, or anywhere else we cover.
It is easy to see why. The roof is far away, the light is awkward and a phone camera does not show much at a distance. Resist the urge to close the gap. A less perfect picture and a clear description will do the job.
Think of it as being a reporter rather than a rescuer: your role is to observe and report, and the technician takes it from there.
What the technician actually needs to know
You do not have to produce an expert report. Five plain facts are enough to plan the visit.
- Where the wasps go in: under a tile, into the soffit, behind the fascia or somewhere else.
- Which side of the building: front, back or one of the sides.
- How high: a rough guess in storeys is fine.
- What is below: garden, patio, drive, conservatory or flat roof.
- Anything unusual: a second entrance, a locked gate, or someone at home with an allergy to stings.
Everything else, including the size of the nest, is something the technician works out on arrival.
If you are unsure of any of these, say so. ‘I think it is the left-hand side, about two storeys up’ is a perfectly usable answer. The technician would much rather have an honest guess than a confident mistake.
How to take a useful photo from far away
A photograph is optional, but a good one helps. The trick is to rely on distance and zoom, not on proximity.
- Stand at the far end of the garden or across the road, wherever you have a clear sightline.
- Use your phone’s zoom, steadying it against a fence post or a wall.
- Take one wide shot showing the whole elevation and one zoomed shot of the area where wasps disappear.
- Photograph in good light with the sun behind you, so the roof edge is not in silhouette.
- Do not use flash, and do not wave the phone around, since movement draws attention.
A slightly blurry picture taken from ten metres away is worth far more than a sharp one from a ladder.
Notes that cost nothing
Alongside the photo, a few minutes of watching adds a lot. Time yourself for a minute and count the wasps that go in. Do it again later. Describe the pattern in a line or two, such as ‘steady all morning, a bit slower after lunch’. It tells us how active the colony is, and it helps you decide whether to wait for a particular appointment slot or ask for the earliest possible one.
Try also to work out whether wasps are using one gap or several. If the lines of traffic converge on one point, that is likely the main entrance. If they split, say so on the call.
Weather plays a part. On a cool, damp day there may be hardly any activity, and it is worth waiting for a warmer spell before you decide the wasps have gone. A quiet morning does not mean the nest has left. The colony is simply less active.
If you already know someone else at the property has been watching, ask them what they have seen. Two sets of observations are better than one.
What not to do while collecting details
- Do not climb, lean out of an upstairs window or stand on a roof below the nest.
- Do not knock on the wall, tap the tiles or shine a torch at the gap.
- Do not stand directly beneath the entrance, even for a moment.
- Do not block or cover the hole to see what happens.
- Do not allow children to help, however keen they are.
The aim is to be a patient observer. If your information is rough, that is fine, and the technician will fill in the rest. Nobody expects you to take risks for the sake of a clearer view.
A last caution about phones and torches. Shining a light at a gap at dusk may feel like a clever way of seeing in, but it draws attention to the entrance and brings you too close. Stay back and wait for the technician, who has the training and equipment for it.
Making the call
With your notes to hand, phone 0113 347 0014, or complete the online booking form on the contact page. We will ask the five questions above and confirm the price on the phone before a technician visits. Nothing is done until you have agreed.
A nest is treated for a fixed £90, and a second nest on the same property costs £35. There is no call-out charge, we offer same-day service and we work for homes and businesses. Those doing the work are trained, and it is fully covered by insurance. If the position is hard to reach and needs special equipment, that is covered on the call before a visit is arranged.
Afterwards, you can ask whether the empty nest can be removed. A roofer can then repair the gap, which makes it less likely that the space is used again.
Wasps on your property in Selby?
Fixed price £90 per nest, no call-out charge, same-day service available.