A guide to control and prevent Wasp infestations

Have you discovered a wasp nest on your property? Do you see a few of these pesky creatures buzzing about and want to prevent a full-blown infestation on your business or home property? We offer a guide on controlling and preventing wasps’ nests from popping up on your home or business property.

The two kinds of wasp varieties native to the UK are Vespula Germanica (German wasps) and Vespula Vulgaris. They look similar with yellow and black stripes and have a nasty sting that could cause an anaphylactic shock that could be life-threatening for some.

Queen wasps are active in building nests in the spring season and by the time summer arrives they produce hundreds of eggs daily with the nest populated by thousands of wasps. Identifying a wasps’ nest in the early stages is the best option for wasp control that could otherwise spread rapidly.

The need to control wasps
Highly aggressive by instinct, wasps can attack even if unprovoked, in case they sense a threat of any kind. When a wasp is distressed it exudes a pheromone that invites other wasps from a nearby colony to attack. While the stings are painful, those that are hyper-allergenic may suffer a fatal adverse reaction if not treated on time.

If you discover an infestation on the property, it is best to call in a professional pest control team for the wasp nest removal.

Treatment of a wasp sting
After getting a wasp sting if your face swells up with breathing issues or dizziness visit your physician without delay. It may be an allergic reaction.

If there is no reaction and just a painful sting:

• Wash the area with water and soap
• Use a cold compress/ice pack on the area for a few minutes
• Keep the sing area elevated (if possible)
• Do not try and home remedies as that may increase the discomfort
• Visit a pharmacist and ask for antihistamines and cream to soothe the area

Having a wasp nest in your business area
As a business owner, you need to deal with any sign of infestation asap. If customers visiting the property discover many wasps in the area, apart from complaining, they might even decide to take their business elsewhere. It is the business owner’s responsibility to ensure the well being and safety of customers and engaging the services of a pest control team like aim-environmental.com is recommended.

However, since wasps are good for gardens as they help to control other pests like insects and caterpillars, their nests must only be removed if they pose a safety risk.
What does a wasps’ nest look like?

These differ in shape and size and can accommodate up to 5,000 wasps during the peak season. The nests are built by wasps chewing wood with saliva that produces a unique material. These are waterproof, lightweight and durable. Hundreds and even thousands of wasps’ labour diligently to build the nests.

They look for sheltered spots on a property like…

• Below the eaves
• Within a garage or shed
• Beneath tree branches
• Wall cavities
• Within bushes

They are found in plenty of other places from within boxes to unused rooms among others.
The quicker their nests are dealt with by a professional, the easier it will be to rid the area of them.

Characteristics of wasps
Wasps along with all other insects that sting are categorised under Hymenoptera (membraneous wings). Both kinds of wasps found in the UK have black and yellow stripes, create a buzzing sound and are quite big. The queen is larger (around 20 mm). She hibernates in the cold weather and builds a nest in which she lays her eggs.

The larvae are fed on insects and mature into workers within 3-4 weeks. It is the sterile females and workers that search for food up to a mile from the nest. When winter arrives, the old wasps perish due to the cold or hunger because of a lack of food sources. The process is repeated with the new queen’s hibernating. A single nest may have around 3K-8k wasps in a single year.

Distinguishing between bees and wasps
Most people mistake bees for wasps frequently although there is a difference in their physical characteristics. Bees have a light brown/brown yellow band on their abdomen and are stouter in size. They also are hairier that helps in pollen gathering while wasps are shiny and bald.

Because of the important role they play in pollination bees are important for the ecosystem. When you spot a bee/wasp and are unsure it is best to have a professional pest team identify them.

Prevention of wasps from building nests
There are some steps one can take to prevent a wasp invasion on a property like…

Look for nests: Look for sheltered spots that are rarely used on the property like below the shed eaves, roof, attic and garage. Also, look for bushes and the loft among other concealed spots.

Secure the doors and windows: One of the easiest ways to protect the home and prevent wasps from entering is to instal fly screens. These will let air enter the house in the summer months but keep out all kind of insects including wasps.

Use tight lids on bins: Having a bin without a lid will attract wasps looking for food. Store the bins a distance away from the property and secure them with tight-fitting lids.

Getting rid of wasp nests
A business owner can try one of the two ways to get rid of wasps’ nests either by a DIY method or by calling in the professionals. In case of a severe infestation, the latter is recommended.

DIY Methods
An insect spray will only eliminate those visible externally with the rest in the nest safe from harm. Overall, there are loads of DIY methods online but most are not advisable as they could be dangerous. Getting stung by multiple wasps could be fatal not to mention extremely painful. These methods are okay in the initial stages only. Those that are hyper-allergenic should not attempt any kind of DIY method.

Using a professional pest control team
The moment a wasp nest poses a safety issue to humans and pets it needs to be destroyed. Dealing with a wasps’ nest is dangerous because they get very aggressive upon being threatened. They attack in droves and each wasp sting multiple times (unlike bees). However, if the nest is away from the property and in a garden corner, not much visited the nest can be left. They only live in the nests for a single summer and do not return.

Hiring a professional is the best option because they have the experience, knowledge and tools to get the job done effectively. Use only a team that is registered with a certified body like NPTA to ensure they do the job perfectly. Along with having the most up-to-date tools and equipment they also have access to protective equipment. They treat the nest’s entrance with insecticides that are brought into the nest by the wasps. Within a few days, the entire colony of wasps in the nest are destroyed.

In case you need any professional assistance for wasps’ nest removal in the West-Midlands and surrounding areas call us at 01902 475175.