The start of our British summer time is just around the corner, and with summer, comes a heightened number of wasp nests. Throughout the summer months, particularly in June and July, we see the numbers of wasps grow. Not only this, but their activity increases and they also lay more eggs, therefore making their presence more prominent and increasing the amount of wasp nests around. Unfortunately, a lot of the time these nests are in very inconvenient places, such as on the side of your house, or inside your roof, which creates a significant pest problem in your home.
As this is a problem we see all too much during summer here at Hunts Pest Control, we wanted to share some advice on how to try and prevent this from happening, how you know when you have a wasp nest in your house, and what to do if you suspect you have a pest problem…
How to identify a wasp nest
More often than not, signs of a wasp nest will become quite obvious, quite quickly. This is due to the fact they are such a nuisance and can also be very noisy! The most common places to find wasp nests on your property are in sheltered spaces that also have easy access to the outdoors, so for example a lot of the time people get them in their roof, as well as in garages and sheds. A good way to discover the location of a suspected wasp nest, is to watch where the wasps appear to be going. If you suspect there is a nest somewhere on your property, the likelihood is that that’s where all the wasps will be heading, emerging from, or lingering around.
One of the key indicators that you may have a wasp nest is if you notice a high volume of wasps around or emerging from that area. You might not always be able to physically see the nest, so it’s about noticing an unusual volume of wasps around, and watching where they come from or travel towards. A lot of the time they will emerge from small gaps in the building.
How to prevent getting wasp nests
As with most animals and insects, wasps will go where they please. Therefore, it is not possible to completely prevent getting wasp nests on your property, however there are certainly things you can do to help minimise the risk of this happening. Like any pest, wasps can be attracted to rubbish. This is why we advise that you do not leave any rubbish lying around and dispose of everything in the best way possible. During summer especially, the heat combined with old rubbish is one of the fastest ways to attract a pest problem.
Another way to minimise the chances of getting a wasp nest anywhere on your property, is to try and ensure that all gaps and holes in the building are sealed. If wasps find gaps and holes in the wall that lead to a sheltered location, before you know it they will start gathering inside and creating a wasp nest, resulting in you having a pest problem on your hands.
Fly screens are another way to limit and prevent wasps from being able to enter your property. We recommend this during summer when there is a high volume of wasps around. Furthermore, you can also get wasp traps or wasp pots to put in your garden, which are designed to capture any wasps and deter them from getting near your property.
What you should do if you have a wasp nest
Wasp nests during summer are certainly not uncommon. In fact, they are one of the biggest pest problems we face during the warmer months. If you believe you have detected a nest on your property, or are suspicious that there may be one somewhere and you are not sure where, you can seek advice from pest control and call them to come out and inspect your property.
As trained pest control experts, we are able to dispose of the wasp nest safely and efficiently. As soon as you suspect there could be a nest on your property, you should act on this and seek help from pest control. The longer you leave it, often the bigger the pest problem gets and therefore the harder it is to control.
Although wasp nests can occur all year round, they are particularly more prominent during summer. Because of this, you should be conscious of making your home as wasp-proof as you can in order to minimise the risk of having a pest problem. If you have any questions, or would like to speak to our team about a suspected wasp nest on your property, simply get in touch with us via our contact page and we will be more than happy to help.
