WASP & WASP NEST REMOVAL

Wasps are predatory insects and control other insect species in the UK environment. They eat flies, aphids, caterpillars, and other invertebrates. Wasps are generally an unpopular species among humans due to their aggressive nature at certain times of the year. However, wasps play an important part in the ecosystem and, like bees, wasps also play a part in pollination.

In some instances, though, wasps and wasp nests can be a problem, particularly if a nest is on, in, or close to a house, garden or other frequently used building or space. Wasp nests can start small and pose few issues, but they can and will increase in size over time as the colony grows. A larger colony means more worker wasps searching for food and they are just as keen to feast on human food as they are on insects. In the height of summer worker wasps are desperate to find richer food at a faster rate and this is when they are most likely to become aggressive and cause issues. Wasps can be particularly problematic for anyone who is allergic to the venom in their sting.

If you have a wasp nest on your property and want to remove it, it is essential to be incredibly careful when doing so. We always recommend that an expert pest controller should be called and that members of the public should never attempt to remove a wasp nest themselves. Professional and qualified pest control experts will be fully equipped with the necessary tools and protective equipment to ensure that the nest is removed effectively, efficiently, and most importantly – safely.

A pest control technician will use specialist equipment to spray insecticidal dust directly into the wasp nest. In the time directly after the treatment is administered the wasps will become agitated and activity is likely to increase slightly. Within a few hours most, if not all, of the wasps will have died.

At Plaxtol Pest and Wildlife Management, we guarantee our wasp nest treatments – so if for any reason there is still activity in the nest 48 hours after treatment, we will return and treat the nest again at no additional charge.

UK Wasp Species

There are two main types of wasps in the UK that live in colonies and form large nests. These species are the Common Wasp and the German Wasp. Both species have three different castes – or types of wasp – the queen, the male, and the worker. Queen wasps are the largest and are only seen outside in the spring when they will emerge from hibernation and search for a new location to start a nest. Worker wasps are the ones you will see most often during the summer and early autumn.

The Common Wasp is the most frequently seen species in the UK and will build their nests in most environments, whether rural or urban. Often the Common Wasp will build their nests on or in man-made structures, and this is where they are most likely to cause a problem.

The German Wasp is also commonly found in the UK and are similar in appearance to the Common Wasp. They usually like to nest below ground in the soil but will also build nests in man-made structures.

The distinctive wasp nests we often see on or in man-made structures are made using wood and wasp saliva to create a papery material. Wasps have also been known to use loft insulation to construct their nests, which also helps the nest to be camouflaged. The queen wasp will start the construction with a cylindrical column, around which she will build cells where she will lay her eggs. The eggs will develop into grubs, which will grow into female worker wasps. These wasps will continue to build the nest as the colony grows as well as being responsible for feeding the colony. The queen wasp will stay in the nest to continue egg production. In a warm summer, a nest can peak at around 5000 wasps.

Towards the end of the summer, the queen will start to produce a new generation of queens and male wasps, which once matured will leave the nest to mate with wasps from other colonies. As the weather gets colder the male wasps will die and the queens will go into hibernation.

Problems Caused by Wasps

It is worker wasps that cause humans the most problems. The workers need to provide food for the growing colony and the larva produced by the queen. A young colony will have a lot of larva which reward the adult workers with sugary secretions. In late summer, the larva undergo metamorphosis and therefore do not require feeding, and do not produce sugary secretions. This means that the worker wasps will look elsewhere and often become a nuisance to humans as they are attracted to our sugary food and drinks.

The main problem caused by wasps is their sting. Wasps will sting when they feel threatened and if they are distressed will release a pheromone that sends nearby members of the colony into a defensive stinging frenzy. Running is likely to cause the wasps to chase after you. Wasps can sting repeatedly, unlike bees. The reaction to a wasp sting is a result of an individual’s body’s defences and not a result of the wasp sting itself. Reactions can range in severity from person to person, and a small proportion of people are allergic to wasp venom, which can cause anaphylactic shock.