Wasp Nest in Your Garden Shed? Safe Treatment Options in Sherwood
A summerhouse or garden room is somewhere you sit and relax, so a nest in the roof or walls needs sorting out before the building can be enjoyed again.
A building with people in it
A basic tool shed is one thing, but a summerhouse, garden office or log cabin is somewhere people spend real time. Anyone in Sherwood who has put in chairs and a table, or set up a desk, will not want a wasp colony in the roof. The same features that make the room pleasant, such as timber cladding, a sheltered roof overhang and quiet corners, are those that appeal to a queen.
A well-used garden room also tends to have electrical sockets, insulation and plasterboard, all of which add hidden cavities. Compared with a plain shed, there are more places for a queen to slip in, and a nest can be well advanced before there is any visible sign inside the room.
Early signs for a building you use
Because you are in and out, you are likely to notice small things. Pay attention to:
- A single wasp that keeps appearing indoors, even after you let it out
- Wasps appearing at the window and trying to get out, not in
- A scratching or papery rustling above the ceiling or inside a wall
- Fine, pale wood shavings on the floor or windowsill
- A line of wasps going to the roof edge or the corner of the cladding
One wasp is not a nest. Repeated sightings from the same direction are worth taking seriously.
Take note of when you see them. A wasp that appears on the same warm afternoon several days in a row, always near the same window or wall, points towards an entrance nearby. A wasp that appears once on a hot day and never again is more likely to have wandered in.
What to do while you wait
If you suspect a nest, stop using the room until the matter is settled. Close the door and any windows, and warn anyone else who uses the building. Do not hammer on the roof or walls to find out what is there, and avoid using noisy equipment nearby.
It may be tempting to seal gaps from inside the building to keep the wasps out. Please do not. Sealing an entrance can drive wasps to find another way, and a hidden exit may be into the room itself.
Think about those who share the space too. If a child plays in the room, or a partner works there, make sure they all know to stay out. A clear note on the door is a simple way to stop someone walking in without realising.
Items and furnishings inside
Cushions, rugs and books are not at risk from a nest, but wasps flying freely around a room are a nuisance. If a few have got inside, open a window as wide as possible and leave the room. Wasps normally head for the light and find their own way out.
Avoid leaving food, drinks or sugary snacks in the building while the problem is going on, because they will draw more wasps in. If the room is used for work, move to the house until the nest has been dealt with.
Sound is another factor. Some people use the room for music, meetings or phone calls, and a humming or buzzing noise from the ceiling can be distracting long before anyone sees a wasp. If you notice such a sound that varies with the weather and the time of day, treat it as a warning sign.
If you work from the room, back up your plans for the day. Take a laptop, notes and chargers into the house, and accept that you may need to work from the kitchen table for a short while. It is a small inconvenience compared with a colony of angry wasps behind the ceiling tiles.
Keep the door shut so wasps in the roof cannot drift into the part you use, and put a towel along the bottom of the door if you see them near the threshold.
Getting a technician in
Treatment of a wasp nest is a fixed £95 per nest, with £35 for an additional nest on the same property, and no call-out charge. The price is confirmed over the phone before the visit and nothing is done without your agreement. We are open seven days a week and can offer same-day service. The technicians are trained and the work is fully insured.
Ring 0115 937 5117, or use the online form on the contact page. Tell us if anyone is allergic to stings, and describe where you think the nest is. Afterwards you can ask the technician whether the empty nest can be taken down.
Tell the technician how the building is constructed, whether the roof is felt, tiles or something else, and where the sockets and vents are. These details help in locating the nest and planning access, and they save time on the day.
Treatment is quick to arrange, and you will be told the price on the phone before anything is done. You can leave the job to the technicians with confidence, as they are trained and insured.
Making the building less attractive
Once the nest has gone, check the outside of the building for gaps at roof edges, around window frames and where cladding boards meet. Small gaps can be filled once you are certain there are no wasps using them. Check roofing felt and repair tears.
A building used often is naturally a less welcoming home for wasps, but that is no guarantee. Make a note to look around the exterior each spring, from late April onwards.
If you want to keep the room warm in winter, remember that insulation is attractive to queens looking for a hibernation spot. Make sure all the gaps around fittings are sealed once you are certain they are empty, and check them again each spring.
Wasps on your property in Sherwood?
Fixed price £95 per nest, no call-out charge, same-day service available.