Found a Wasp Nest in Your Loft in Nuthall? Here's What to Do
A nest can double in size while a house sits empty, and coming home to find wasps in the hall is a surprise, so this explains how to handle it.
A fortnight is a long time
Wasps do not take holidays. A queen who starts a nest in a quiet loft in late spring will have a growing colony by July, and a house that has been empty for a week or two can host a lot of activity. People often come home from time away to find wasps on the landing, at the windows or in the kitchen, with no obvious explanation.
Nuthall, near Nottingham, has plenty of family homes where a summer trip is a normal part of the year. The point is the same for all: after a break, a nest in the loft can come as a shock.
The same applies if you have been away for a weekend, or if you work long shifts and are rarely at home in daylight. Wasps are active in daylight and warmth, so a household that is out all day may not see the early signs.
What you may find on arrival
Signs that something has changed while you were out:
- several wasps on windows, especially upstairs
- dead or dying wasps on windowsills
- a hum from the ceiling when you stand under the hatch
- wasps going in and out of the roof edge or a gap in the brickwork
Open the front door with care and check the hall before taking bags upstairs. If upstairs is busy with wasps, do not go through the rooms hunting.
It can feel overwhelming if you have just come in with luggage, tired children and a car to unpack. Take a moment: wasps on the window are less urgent than getting everyone safely in and the front door sorted. Leave the bags in the hall if you need to and deal with the wasps first.
If you arrive in the dark, deal only with the basics: get in, turn on the lights from the doorway, close the curtains to stop wasps being drawn to the windows and ring in the morning. Wasps are quieter at night.
The first hour at home
- Let the household in, but keep children by the door until you have looked.
- Open windows near any wasps so they can leave, and close internal doors to keep them in one room.
- Do not use the loft hatch and do not try to find the nest.
- Check outside for the entry point, from a distance.
- Ring, and say that you have just returned and what you found.
Wasps indoors are mostly looking for the light, so they are not usually aggressive unless trodden on or swatted.
If the weather is warm, wasps are more likely to be active. If the house has been shut up with windows closed, the air can be stale and hot, and wasps inside may be more restless. Open windows in rooms without wasps first, and let in air gradually.
If you or the children have been stung, wash the area, remove any sting that is visible and cool it. Swelling of the face, lips or throat, wheezing, breathing difficulty, dizziness or a widespread rash means 999.
Why an empty house suits a nest
A house with nobody in it is quiet, warm and undisturbed, which is just what a nest needs. There are no footsteps or vibration, and no one to notice the first wasps. If a house is left empty for much of the year, such as a second home or a let property, it is worth a walk around outside each spring.
Wasps start nests from late April depending on the weather, and the colony is largest in August, so a late-summer return is when the problem is bigger than it was when you left.
Gardens can be affected too. An unmown lawn with a hole in it, an overgrown hedge and a shed that nobody has opened can all hold nests. After a holiday, walk the garden with care and look for the telltale flow of wasps to one spot.
Keep an eye on the weather too. A warm spell after a damp one often brings a burst of activity, and a household returning at that time can meet the full force of a colony that has been growing in their absence.
Treatment and booking
The nest is treated at a fixed £95, with £35 for an additional nest on the same property. There is no call-out charge. Ring 0115 937 5117. Same-day service is offered, though it cannot be promised on every call, so call as soon as you are home.
Nothing is done without your agreement, and the technician is trained and fully insured. Tell us if anyone is allergic.
If you have more than one nest, mention it. The second is £35, and it is much simpler to deal with both on the same visit. After a long absence, it is worth checking the shed and garage for signs too.
For a house that has been empty for weeks, it helps to give a rough idea of when you last saw it free of wasps. It tells us how long the nest might have been developing, which is useful background even though it does not change the fixed price. A neighbour who has been looking after the house may also have seen something worth mentioning.
Before the next trip
Ask a neighbour to look at the house now and then, and glance at the roof edge when you leave and return. If you let the property, tell whoever looks after it to watch for wasps in the warmer months, and check your tenancy or management agreement for who arranges pest control.
Small habits help. Leave a number with your neighbour. Check the roof edge before you leave. Close the loft hatch properly. And when you return, do a calm walk around the outside before you unload the car.
Wasps on your property in Nuthall?
Fixed price £95 per nest, no call-out charge, same-day service available.