Are Wasps Dangerous? Understanding Stings and Nest Disturbance in Stoke Bardolph
A nest in the ground is the one most likely to be stepped on or mown over, so recognising a busy hole is a valuable piece of outdoor common sense.
The nest you cannot see
Not every nest hangs from a roof beam. Wasps often use holes in the ground, such as old rodent burrows, gaps beneath paving, banks and the bases of hedges. From above, a ground nest looks like a small hole, perhaps the size of a coin or a little larger. The colony below can be substantial, and the entrance is the only clue.
This is why these nests are a particular hazard. A walker, a child, a dog or a person pushing a mower can pass over one without noticing, and the vibration alone may trigger a defensive response.
Heavy rain can flood ground nests and force wasps to enlarge or move the entrance, which sometimes brings them closer to paths or lawns than before.
Wasps that nest in the ground often reuse tunnels dug by other animals, so a patch of earth where you have seen rabbits or voles is worth treating with caution.
How to recognise a busy hole
You are looking for a hole with traffic. A hole with nothing coming or going is probably just a hole. A nest entrance usually shows several signs.
- Wasps entering and leaving at regular intervals, not just one or two lost visitors.
- A small patch of bare, worn soil around the opening.
- Wasps hovering low near the ground, as if patrolling.
- A sound like a faint hum if you are close enough, though you should not be close enough to hear it.
The easiest time to see this is on a warm, dry day. Look from a distance, and keep any dogs on a lead or close by.
It is easy to mistake an ant nest or a mouse hole for a wasp entrance, or the other way round. If in doubt, watch from a distance for a few minutes. The pattern of traffic soon tells you.
Do not stand directly over a hole to watch, and do not use a torch to peer into it.
Remember that wasp activity at a hole can vary through the day. It tends to be strongest when the weather is warm and bright, so a quiet spell does not prove the hole is empty.
Walking and playing outdoors
On paths, verges and fields, keep to the established route and watch where you put your feet in summer. Stay out of long grass and rough banks where possible, and teach children to do the same. Dogs that dig or sniff along hedges are at risk, so keep them close.
If you notice wasps flying low and in a line, stop and look more carefully before going any further. Turn around and take another route if you can. If you accidentally step on a nest, run steadily away in a straight line, covering your face with your arm, and do not stop until you are well clear.
If you walk a dog regularly, learn the route and notice changes. A new patch of activity near the usual path is a cue to take a different one.
Gardening and mowing
Before mowing or strimming a bank or a corner you have not visited for a while, walk the edge and look. Mark the spot if you find activity and keep the machine well away. Vibration travels through soil, so even a mower several metres off may disturb a nest.
Fill in no holes, pour nothing into them and do not block them. The wasps will find a different exit, which may be closer to the house, and agitated wasps are more dangerous.
If anyone is stung several times, move away, apply first aid, and call 999 for swelling of the face, lips or throat, wheeze or difficulty breathing, dizziness or a widespread rash.
If you have children who play in the garden, walk the whole lawn and borders before they go out in summer. A two-minute check takes less time than finding out the hard way.
Banks, verges and old burrows.
Wasps tend to prefer dry, sheltered soil with a ready-made hollow. Sloping banks, the edges of tracks, the bases of old trees and abandoned burrows all fit the bill, and so do spaces under sheds and decking. In rough areas, a small hole beside a root could be a wasp entrance.
Treat each unfamiliar hole in summer with suspicion until you have watched it for a minute or two. If you see wasps, mark the spot in your mind and note it for the technician, who will use your description to find it.
Staying alert through the season
Ground nests begin small in spring and grow through summer, reaching a peak in August. The risk rises as the season goes on, but a nest can be disturbed at any time. Early in the year the colony is small enough to ignore; by high summer it is not.
Remember that weather and the mildness of the spring affect when nests begin, so do not rely on the calendar alone. Judge by what you see.
Animals that graze, such as horses and sheep, are also at risk of disturbing ground nests. If you keep animals, check fields and verges, and tell us where you see activity.
Treatment in Stoke Bardolph
We cover Stoke Bardolph, in Nottinghamshire, and the surrounding villages seven days a week, with same-day service available. A nest in the ground is treated for the same fixed £95 per nest as any other, with no call-out charge, and an additional nest on the same property is £35 extra. The price is confirmed on the phone first, and we do nothing until you agree.
To arrange treatment, call 0115 937 5117 or complete the online form on the contact page. Our technicians are trained and fully insured, and we help homes and businesses.
Wasps on your property in Stoke Bardolph?
Fixed price £95 per nest, no call-out charge, same-day service available.