Wasp Nest Treatment
Guarantee
We guarantee that
- a treated nest will never be used again
- the actual location of the treated nest will not be reused by other wasps for the remainder of the calendar year
What does a wasp look like?
Wasps are 12–17mm long. They have a very narrow “wasp waist”, a thread-thin connection between the thorax and abdomen. The abdomen is smooth and shiny with bold black and bright yellow bands. The head and thorax are also black and yellow. Their legs are yellow and dangle noticeably in flight.
Why should a wasp nest be treated?
Wasps are aggressive and will sting readily if they think their nest is in danger. A wasp can sting repeatedly and when they feel threatened they release a pheromone that brings other wasps to help them. A wasp sting is very painful and even people not allergic to wasp stings, after being stung by a dozen of them repeatedly, can experience serious health issues.
An untreated wasp nest will eventually die out on its own in late autumn. However, it will keep growing until then. Autumn is when wasps are at their most aggressive and most likely to sting as they feed on rotting fruit which leaves them sluggish and bad-tempered.
By the time an untreated nest has reached full maturity it will have produced approximately 100 fertile queens that will hibernate and then start nests the following year.
Wasp nests can stain ceilings and even eat through them in some instances.
What does a wasp nest look like?
Wasp nests come in many shapes and sizes. Made from chewed wood and saliva which produces a papier-mâché type material they are grey or brown structures which are lightweight, durable and waterproof. After a queen has created the initial nest in the spring, the worker drones maintain and expand the nest. During peak activity in summer a nest can contain up to 10,000 wasps.
What preparation must be undertaken prior to treatment?
- No preparation is required before the wasp nest is treated.
- Do not block the entrance hole of the nest as this will make the wasps angry and aggressive. It won’t kill the nest and the wasps will create another entrance.
What aftercare is required after treatment?
After treatment the nest will remain in a hyperactive state for up to 3-hours.
- Keep people and pets away from the area until activity has ceased.
- Close windows and warn neighbours to keep away.
- Wasp activity can continue for up to 2-weeks in the summer and up to 20-days in autumn after the treatment.
A wasp nest will not rot or smell so it’s quite safe and hygienic to leave it where it is. However if you wish to remove it you must wait for at least 4-weeks after treatment. This ensures that no one gets stung by any wasps that have hatched after the queen has died. Also, if the nest is removed immediately after treatment the wasps which were out foraging would find no nest on their return and attempt to rebuild it.
A wasp nest will not rot or smell so it’s quite safe and hygienic to leave it where it is. However if you wish to remove it you must wait for at least 4-weeks after treatment. This ensures that no one gets stung by any wasps that have hatched after the queen has died.
If you remove the nest immediately after treatment then the wasps that were out foraging would return, find no nest and attempt to rebuild it. When they return and find a treated nest they either get contaminated by the insecticide or exhaust themselves by flying around the nest in a state of panic.
Products we use
The technician will state which insecticide has been used on the report they give you after they have completed the treatment. Click each product to access its safety data sheet. All insecticides are biodegradable, almost odourless, non-tainting and do not corrode or stain, as well as being completely harmless to mammals.
Insecticide sprays
Insecticide powder
Insecticide fogging
How does our treatment work?
The entrance to the nest or the nest itself will be treated with an appropriate insecticide.
What can be done to prevent future nests in a loft?
Following the treatment of a wasp nest, fogging/misting the loft with insecticide will kill any queens and future queens hibernating or hiding in the insulation or dark corners.
Products we use
The technician will state which insecticide has been used on the report they give you after they have completed the treatment. Click each product to access its safety data sheet. All insecticides are biodegradable, almost odourless, non-tainting and do not corrode or stain, as well as being completely harmless to mammals.
Insecticide sprays
Insecticide powder
Insecticide fogging
What are the signs of a wasp nest?
If you see wasps entering and leaving a hole in the ground, wall, roof or any other part of a building between May and November then you probably have a wasp nest. You may be getting ‘unexplained’ wasps inside a room which may indicate a nest nearby. In the autumn as the days get shorter wasps get attracted to lights inside buildings which they confuse with sunrise.
How can I stop wasps being a nuisance?
Wasps are more of a nuisance in autumn as they’re more likely to sting people. This is because their nests are beginning to die off so they have no reason to be inside the nest and spend more time outside foraging for food. A particular favourite of wasps is rotten fruit which has fallen from the trees and started to ferment. This makes them drunk and they appear to be dozy, however they can be more aggressive if provoked. They tend to find their way inside buildings more often as the days get shorter because they are attracted to the lights which they confuse with sunrise.
Wasp traps can relieve, but not solve, the problem. A reusable trap will need to be filled with liquid bait and emptied regularly to remove the dead wasps.
To keep the number of wasps to a minimum in public places, golf courses, hotels, rubbish tips, polo clubs, pubs, restaurants etc., have wasp traps installed and serviced weekly at this time of the year.
Buy wasp traps, liquid bait and wasp bags from our online shop
Buy reusable AF Wasp & Fly Traps from our online shop
Price for a pack of x6 AF Wasp & Fly Traps £61.56 including VAT +£10 shipping/postage
Buy an AF Disposable Wasp Bag from our online shop
Price for x1 AF Disposable Wasp Bag £8.28 including VAT +£10 shipping/postage
Buy AF Wasp & Fly Bait from our online shop
Price for x1 litre AF Wasp & Fly Bait £25.20 including VAT +£10 shipping/postage
Price for x5 litres AF Wasp & Fly Bait £84.60 including VAT +£10 shipping/postage
Buy a WaspBane Wasp Trap from our online shop
Price for x1 WaspBane Trap £47.88 including VAT + £10 Shipping
More facts about wasps
Do wasps swarm?
Wasps do not swarm.
When do wasp nests start?
Wasp nests begin in spring, never later than May. A queen emerges from hibernation, finds a suitable location and builds a round nest 2-3 ins in diameter from chewed wood pulp which is obtained from dead trees, fences, etc. This nest will contain a small number of cells into which the queen lays her eggs, one per cell.
How big does a wasp nest get?
The population within a nest can grow to around 10,000 wasps by autumn.
Do wasp nests survive the winter?
No. The entire nest dies off in autumn. Only mated queens survive the winter, hibernating individually in sheltered spots such as log piles, loft insulation, bark crevices or garden sheds. In spring each surviving queen starts a completely new nest elsewhere.
Are wasp nests reused?
No. Nests are never recolonised the following year.
How does a colonly of wasps start?
A queen will build a small nest, 2-3 ins in diameter, with a small number of cells into which the queen lays her eggs, one per cell. The eggs hatch into larvae and are fed by the queen fragments of insects (the queen herself feeds on nectar). After pupation workers (sterile females) emerge and take over the running of the nest from the queen who devotes the rest of her life to egg laying. This occurs late June to early July and the nest will grow considerably during this time.
How are queens produced?
Towards the end of the summer, special larger cells are constructed within a nest to provide drones (males) and queens. Once they have hatched, the drones and queens fly outside and mate, usually with drones and queens from other nests. The drones, workers and original queen die off with the colder weather. The newly fertilised queens seek out sites for hibernation.
Do wasps produce honey?
No. Wasps do not store honey so they need to forage daily in order to meet the dietary requirements of the colony.