A wasp nest looks like grey papery card, usually tucked somewhere dry and out of the way. Here is how to recognise one, and how to tell wasps from the insects often mistaken for them.
Common wasps chew wood and mix it with saliva to make a papery material, so the nest is grey or buff, layered like a rolled-up piece of cardboard and often marked with swirling bands. Early in the year it can be as small as a golf ball with a single entrance hole at the bottom. By late summer it may be the size of a football or larger, and the traffic of workers in and out becomes obvious.
A steady line of wasps flying to and from the same point on a wall or roof edge is the clearest giveaway, particularly on a warm afternoon. A faint rasping sound from inside a ceiling or wall can be the colony chewing and building.
Wasps are slim-waisted, smooth, bright yellow and black, and they do not carry visible pollen. Honey bees are rounder and furrier, and bumblebees are large and fluffy; neither builds a papery nest, and bees are valued pollinators, so a local beekeeper may be the right call for honey bee swarms. Hoverflies hover in place and have only one pair of wings. Hornets are larger than wasps and uncommon in the north of England, so most large insects in a loft are wasps.
Queen wasps start nests in spring, workers appear in early summer, and the colony grows right through the season. Late summer is when wasps become a nuisance around food and drink, because the workers have less to do and search for sugar. The colony then dies off in autumn and winter, and only new queens survive to start again.
Keep your distance and stop anyone, including pets, from going near it. Do not block the entrance, spray it with an aerosol or knock it down. A disturbed colony defends itself, and a blocked nest can send wasps looking for a new exit, which may be into the house. Note where it is and how large it looks, then arrange treatment.
A few smaller clues can help. Wasps coming back to a nest carry pellets of chewed wood or food, and flight paths tend to be direct and fast, whereas wasps simply foraging wander. Sitting quietly across the garden with a drink and watching the same spot for ten minutes can tell you a lot. Never use that as a reason to go closer. A photograph taken from a distance, with the position of the entrance noted, gives a technician most of what they need before arriving. Also note whether the traffic is in the morning or evening, as that tells a technician how active the colony is.
If you are not sure what you are looking at, call 0113 347 0014 or message us on WhatsApp for a free quote.
Often the size of a golf ball or a tennis ball, with a handful of wasps about. It grows steadily through summer as the first workers hatch and help build more cells. Small nests are easier to deal with, which is a good reason to act when you notice one early.
Usually. Wasps are slender and glossy with a narrow waist, while honey bees look rounder, hairier and more golden-brown. Bumblebees are large and fluffy. Behaviour also differs: wasps are drawn to meat and sweet food, bees to flowers. If in doubt, take a photograph from a distance.
No. A nest is abandoned when the colony dies off in autumn and winter, and wasps do not reuse it. New queens start fresh nests, although they may choose the same sheltered spot. Sealing gaps in winter or early spring reduces the chance of a repeat.
Tell us what you have seen and where, and we will come back to you. There are no call-out charges and surveys are free for homes and businesses.
