When Is Wasp Season in Bilborough?
Wasp season runs on a predictable calendar, and knowing which month brings which problem lets you spot a nest early instead of discovering it at its largest.
The short answer: late April to October
Wasp season is not a single date. It begins in spring, when the first nests are started, builds slowly through early summer, reaches its busiest point in August and then fades through the autumn. For most households in Bilborough the trouble is felt between June and September, but the groundwork for it is laid much earlier.
Nests are usually started from late April, although the exact timing depends on the weather and how mild the spring has been. A warm, early spring moves everything forward; a cold one holds it back. That is why a calendar is a guide rather than a promise, and why it is worth looking around the property a little earlier than you think you need to.
April and May: one queen, one small nest
Each nest begins with a single queen who has come through the winter alone. She chooses a sheltered spot and starts building a nest about the size of a golf ball, then raises the first workers herself. At this stage you may only see one wasp coming and going from the same gap, which is easy to miss.
Good places to check in these months:
- Gaps under the eaves and behind fascia boards
- Chimney breasts and the tops of external walls
- Sheds, garages and the space beneath decking
- Hedges, bushes and low tree branches
- Small holes in lawns or banks, which may lead to a nest in the ground
A nest found now is at its smallest and simplest to deal with, and the colony has not yet had time to produce thousands of wasps.
If you only have time for one thorough check each year, make it the second half of May. By then queens that started in late April have usually raised their first workers, so there is a little more activity to give the nest away, yet the colony is still tiny compared with what it will become. Take ten minutes with a cup of tea and walk the whole outside of the property slowly, looking at one wall at a time.
June and July: the colony takes off
Once the first workers hatch, the queen stays inside and lays eggs, and the workers take over building and feeding. The nest grows quickly. The number of wasps going in and out increases, and you may begin to notice a steady line of traffic to and from one spot, usually at a consistent height.
This is the point at which many people first become aware of a problem, because wasps are now visible around the garden. They are hunting insects and collecting wood fibre for the nest, so they are busy rather than aggressive, and they will usually ignore you if you keep your distance. If you can see a clear flight path, make a note of where it starts and keep children and pets away from that area.
A practical habit for these two months is to glance at the same spot at the same time each day, perhaps when you let the dog out or hang washing. Wasps keep surprisingly regular hours, and if the same few insects pass a particular corner every morning, that regularity tells you something is established nearby. Write down where and roughly what height, because it helps if you need to describe the position to someone later.
Also think about places you do not look at often: the back of a garage, the side passage, the gap above a conservatory or the underside of a garden storage box. Nests are rarely built where people sit.
August: the peak
August is when a colony is at its largest. A nest can hold anything from 2,000 to 10,000 or more wasps by this time, and it is far more likely to react strongly if it is disturbed. Strimming a hedge, knocking a shed wall or even heavy footsteps near a ground nest can bring wasps out in numbers.
Do not try to knock down, block up or burn out a nest at this stage. Wasps that feel threatened can swarm and sting repeatedly. If a nest is close to a door, a washing line or anywhere your household passes regularly, it is a good moment to arrange treatment rather than work around it for the rest of the summer.
It also helps to know what August is not. It is not the month when every wasp is hunting you. Most of the insects you see are workers carrying out jobs for the colony, and a nest that is not being bothered will often coexist quietly with a household that keeps its distance. The danger lies in accidents, such as a ball landing near the entrance, a hedge trimmer or a child investigating, which is why position matters more than size alone.
September and October: the decline
As autumn approaches the colony starts to break down. The wasps no longer have a growing nest to feed, and they become more interested in sugary food and drink, which is why they seem to bother you more at the table in late summer. Eventually the workers die off and new queens leave to find somewhere to spend the winter.
Even so, a live nest in September is still a live nest, and it can still sting if disturbed. If you need one dealt with, our fixed price is £95 per nest, with £35 for an additional nest on the same property, and the price is confirmed on the phone before a technician visits. To book, call 0115 937 5117 or use the online booking form on the contact page.
When the cold finally arrives, the empty nest simply decays. It is no use to next year’s queens, so you do not need to hurry to remove it, though you can ask the technician at booking whether it can be taken down once treated. After that, put a note in your diary for late April, because the whole cycle begins again with a new queen choosing a sheltered gap, and you will be in a much stronger position if you are ready for her.
A simple seasonal checklist
- Late April to May: walk round the outside, check eaves, sheds and hedges, and look for single wasps entering gaps.
- June: re-check, and note any steady flight path you spot.
- July: keep children and pets away from any suspect area and avoid noisy work nearby.
- August: expect the most wasps; keep food and bins covered and do not disturb a nest.
- September and October: stay alert, because a nest still active can sting if disturbed.
Pinning a list like this to the kitchen noticeboard or putting reminders on a phone is a surprisingly effective way to stay ahead of the season, and it takes only a few minutes each month.
Wasps on your property in Bilborough?
Fixed price £95 per nest, no call-out charge, same-day service available.