Found a Wasp Nest in Your Loft in Woodlesford? Here's What to Do
If someone in the household is allergic to wasp stings, a loft nest calls for extra care: tell us when you book, keep clear and do not take chances.
Tell us about the allergy when you book
If anyone in your home is allergic to wasp stings, a nest in the loft deserves extra caution. Keep that person away from the part of the house nearest the nest, and tell us about the allergy when you book so we can take it into account. Then leave the nest to a trained technician.
A loft colony can contain thousands of wasps by the peak of the season in August, and a few of them will always wander into the house. For most people that means an annoyance and the odd sting. For someone with an allergy, it means a risk that should not be underestimated, which is why you should resist the urge to wait and see.
We cannot give medical advice, but the general safety points are covered below, and anyone with a known allergy should talk to their GP about what is right for them.
It also helps to decide in advance who in the household will take charge of the arrangements, so that the allergic person is not the one answering the door, speaking to the technician or going near the loft during the visit.
Making a plan for the household
Treat this as a short-term arrangement until the nest has been dealt with.
- Choose a room that is as far from the loft as possible, ideally on the ground floor, for the allergic person to spend time in.
- Keep the loft hatch shut, and close the door of any room directly beneath it.
- Check windows and doors for gaps and keep them closed when wasps are active, particularly on warm afternoons.
- Keep sweet drinks and food covered and bin lids closed, as they attract wasps.
- Make sure everyone knows what to do if a sting happens, and where any prescribed items are kept.
Do not ask the allergic person to deal with a stray wasp. Someone else should open a window and let it out, or leave it alone until it flies off.
If somebody is stung
For an ordinary sting, wash the area with soap and water, remove the sting if you can see it, and apply a cold pack to ease the swelling. Watch the person for a while afterwards.
Call 999 immediately if there is swelling of the face, lips or throat, wheezing or difficulty breathing, dizziness, or a widespread rash. Do not wait for it to pass. Anyone who knows they are allergic should speak to their GP in advance about their own plan.
We do not offer advice on medicines or doses, and neither should anyone online. Your GP or pharmacist is the right place for that.
The visit itself
The price for treating a wasp nest is a fixed £90, confirmed on the phone before the technician arrives. There is no call-out charge, and nothing happens until you agree. An additional nest on the same property is £35.
When you ring, mention the allergy, say which rooms the wasps have been seen in and describe where the hatch is. The technician will then know what to prepare for. Ask whether the allergic person should be out of the house during the visit; it is often sensible for them to stay somewhere else for a while, and the technician can advise.
The line is open seven days a week, and same-day service is available. Our technicians are trained and fully insured, and we work in homes and commercial properties.
After the booking is made, keep the hatch closed and avoid using the room beneath it. If you notice more wasps than before, or the buzzing gets louder, phone again and say so, since that helps the technician understand what to expect when they arrive and means the visit can be planned properly.
Afterwards, and booking
After the treatment, take care with dead wasps. A wasp that appears lifeless can sometimes still sting, so wear gloves and use a brush and pan or a vacuum. An allergic family member should not be the one clearing them up, and should stay out of the loft until the technician says it is fine.
The paper nest can be left alone, but ask when booking whether it can be taken down. Think about repairing the gap that the wasps used so another queen does not move in next spring.
To book for Woodlesford, phone 0113 347 0014 or use the online form on the contact page, and mention the allergy.
Reducing the number of wasps in the house until the visit
You cannot remove the risk altogether while the nest is active, but you can make the house less welcoming to wasps. Fit fly screens to windows that need to stay open if you have them, and keep curtains drawn in the room beneath the loft so that light does not draw wasps to the glass.
Shake out shoes and clothes that have been left near open windows, check drinks cans and glasses before drinking from them and avoid walking barefoot in the garden. Wasps are attracted to sweet food and drink, so clear plates and sticky cups promptly.
If a wasp does come in, stay calm. Quick movements make a wasp more agitated. Open a window and give it a few minutes to find its way out, or put a glass over it and slide a card underneath if you have someone who is happy to do that, then release it outside.
Let any visitors or carers who come to the house know about the nest and the allergy, so that they can keep an eye out too. A short conversation at the door is much easier than a problem in the hallway.
Wasps on your property in Woodlesford?
Fixed price £90 per nest, no call-out charge, same-day service available.