Can You Remove a Wasp Nest Yourself? Advice for Marnham Homeowners
A surprising number of calls about wasp nests turn out to involve something else, so a little careful identification before acting can save time and trouble.
Why identification comes first
Before deciding how to deal with an insect nest, you need to know what you are dealing with. Wasps, honeybees, bumblebees and hornets all produce a buzzing at a hole in a wall or roof, and all of them can sting. But they are very different animals, and the right response differs. A wasp nest is a pest-control matter. Bees are a matter for beekeepers or bee organisations.
In Marnham, as elsewhere, this simple step is often skipped. People see stripes, hear a buzz and decide it must be a wasp nest. We treat wasps only, so confirming that is what you have saves everyone effort.
Many calls begin with a worried description of a very large insect. Often it turns out to be a queen wasp in spring, which is noticeably larger than a worker and can look alarming, or a bumblebee investigating a hole. Neither needs panic, though both deserve respect. Describe what you saw, where and when, and we will help you work out what it is likely to be.
Telling the insects apart
From a distance, with binoculars or a phone zoom, look for the following.
- Wasps: slim and smooth, with a narrow waist and sharp yellow and black bands. Fast, darting flight.
- Honeybees: a duller golden brown, slightly hairy, more rounded. Often seen on flowers.
- Bumblebees: large, round and furry, flying slowly and noisily.
If you think the insect is much larger than a wasp, mention that when you call. We do not claim to treat hornets or bees, and we will say so plainly.
If the nest is visible, such as a papery ball hanging from a branch or tucked in a shed, look at the texture. Wasp nests are made from a thin grey or brown paper that shows fine bands or swirls. A honeybee colony builds its comb from wax and is usually hidden in a cavity, so you are unlikely to see it from outside. If you can see wax comb in the open, you are probably looking at bees and should speak to a beekeeper.
Season matters as well. A swarm of bees clustering on a branch or fence in late spring or early summer is a temporary gathering that will move on, usually within a day or two. A wasp nest does not move; it grows. If the cluster is still in the same place a week later and is a papery nest, it is a wasp problem.
Time of day gives another clue. Wasps are mostly active in the warm hours and settle at the nest when it cools, while some bees may continue to work on flowers late into the day. Bumblebees often nest in old burrows and are rarely aggressive unless disturbed.
Whichever it turns out to be, avoid the temptation to act on a guess. A mistaken attempt on bees harms a useful insect, and a mistaken attempt on wasps can lead to stings.
Reading the nest site
The place can help too. Wasps nest in gaps in eaves, walls, chimneys, trees and bushes, and in holes in the ground. They chew wood into a grey papery material, and you may see this around the entrance. Their nests begin small in late spring, and grow through the summer, peaking in August with thousands of insects.
Honeybee colonies, by contrast, are often located in a wall cavity or chimney with a steady, orderly flow of insects. Bumblebees nest in smaller numbers, often in a hole in the ground, a compost heap or a bank, with a handful of large insects.
If you are still unsure after all that, simply ring and tell us what you have noticed. A few minutes of conversation is often enough to identify the insects, and there is no charge for asking. Keeping a note of the time of day, the weather and how the insects fly will make it easier.
What to do if you are not sure
If you cannot tell, do not investigate closer. Keep your distance, note what you see, and take a photograph with the zoom from the garden. Then call us and describe it. We will ask a few questions about the size and colour of the insects, the behaviour at the entrance and the time of year, and give you an honest view.
If it looks like bees, we will suggest you contact a local beekeeper or the relevant bee organisation. If it sounds like wasps, we will talk through booking a visit. In either case, keep children and pets away from the area, close windows near the entrance and do not block the hole.
Staying safe in the meantime
Whatever the insects turn out to be, the safety advice is the same. Stay away from the entrance, avoid vibration, and do not try to remove or block anything yourself. Cover food and drink if you are eating outside, and keep bins closed.
Stung skin should be washed, the sting removed if it shows and a cold pack applied. Do not wait and see if you notice swelling of the face, lips or throat, wheezing or difficulty breathing, dizziness or a widespread rash; call 999. People with a known allergy should speak to their GP, and tell us when they book.
Booking for wasps
Treating a wasp nest costs a fixed £95 per nest, and a further nest on the same property is £35 each. We never add a call-out charge, and the price is always confirmed on the phone before a visit. Nothing is done without your agreement. We are open seven days a week, offer same-day service and cover domestic and commercial customers, with trained technicians and fully insured work.
If you would like a visit, 0115 937 5117 is the number to ring, or use the contact page form. It is worth asking, once treatment is done, whether the empty nest can be taken down.
Wasps on your property in Marnham?
Fixed price £95 per nest, no call-out charge, same-day service available.