Wasps vs Bees – How to Identify Them Before Arranging Pest Control in Diseworth
A small hole in the lawn or a grassy bank with insects flying in and out may be a ground-nesting wasp colony, a bumblebee nest or a solitary bee burrow. Here is how to tell.
Three different things that make holes in the ground
A hole in the lawn with insects entering and leaving is one of the most common reasons for a worried phone call, and it could be one of three things. It might be a wasp nest, which is often founded in an old rodent burrow or a natural cavity under the turf. It might be a bumblebee colony, which also likes abandoned burrows. Or it might be a group of solitary bees, which dig their own tiny tunnels in bare soil.
The three are quite different in what they mean for you, so a calm look from a distance is worth the effort. Treating bees would be unnecessary and unfair to them, while leaving a large wasp nest beside a path is a mistake.
Hillsides, field edges and sunny banks are favourite places for ground nests, but a garden lawn serves just as well. If the turf has a sandy or crumbly patch, it is an easy spot for small digging bees too.
Reading the burrow itself
The entrance gives plenty of information without any need to approach closely.
- Wasp nest: a hole roughly the size of a coin or larger, usually with a lot of fast traffic, and bare, worn soil around the edge from constant use.
- Bumblebee nest: a hole in a bank or among grass, with only a few big furry insects entering and leaving and often a slow, wobbly approach.
- Solitary bees: several tiny holes, each with a small mound of fine soil, and single small bees hovering nearby rather than a stream of traffic.
Solitary bees are gentle. They are not in a colony, they do not defend a nest, and they are generally harmless to people and pets. A scattering of little mounds on a sunny patch of bare soil is usually this.
Watch the time of year as well. In April and May you may simply see a lone queen walking around on the grass poking into holes, and she is not a nest. A real colony needs weeks to build, and the traffic at its door increases week by week through the summer.
Bear in mind that wasps use more than one exit on occasion, so a second hole near the first does not always mean two nests.
The insects at the entrance
Once you have a view of the holes, look at the insects. Wasps are slim, glossy and striped yellow and black with a visibly narrow waist. They enter and exit at speed and do not linger. Bumblebees are large, round and furry, and their approach is slower and heavier.
Most of the ground-nesting wasps people call us about are building a papery nest below the surface, which expands as the colony grows. A nest that started in the spring may be quite deep by August, with thousands of wasps moving in and out.
Keep away from the entrance. Ground vibration from mowers or footsteps can provoke the wasps, and a mower passing over a hidden entrance is a common cause of stings.
If you can see the hole from a window, five minutes is enough. Notice whether the insects fly off in a straight line from the hole, as wasps do, or hover low over the grass, as bees tend to.
Also consider the time of day. Wasp traffic is busiest on warm afternoons, when foraging is at its peak.
Taking care around the lawn
Until you know what you have, treat the hole as a hazard.
- Mark the area from a distance, for example with a garden chair or a tall cane placed well back, so that no one walks across it.
- Do not mow, strim or dig near the hole.
- Keep children and dogs out of the garden section concerned.
- Do not pour anything into the hole or cover it.
Blocking an entrance can push wasps to dig a new exit, sometimes in a place you do not want it, and it will not end the nest.
Pets deserve a thought here. Dogs love to sniff at holes, and one that pokes its nose into an active wasp entrance is likely to be stung on the face. Keep them on a lead around the garden until the matter is settled.
If it turns out to be bees
Solitary bees and bumblebees are valuable pollinators. If that is what you have, the best approach is usually to leave them in peace for a few weeks. Solitary bees tend to finish by early summer, and a bumblebee colony dies out naturally at the end of its season.
If the position is truly awkward, contact a local bee organisation or beekeeper for advice. We do not treat bees, and we will always tell you if what you describe sounds like something we should not be treating.
Honeybees rarely nest in the ground, so if you are told your insects are honeybees at a ground-level hole, ask a beekeeper to take a look.
Booking treatment for a ground nest
If the signs say wasps, we can help in Diseworth and the surrounding villages. A nest is treated at a fixed price of £95 per nest, and an additional nest on the same property is £35 per nest. There is no call-out charge, and we confirm the price on the phone first.
Tell us where the hole is, such as the lawn, a bank, a flowerbed or a path, how far it is from the house, and whether children or pets use the area. Call 0116 214 9259 or use the contact page form. We work seven days a week, with same-day service available, and our technicians are trained and fully insured. Nothing is done until you agree.
Please also tell us if the lawn is used by children or by guests. We will take that into account when planning the visit.
Wasps on your property in Diseworth?
Fixed price £95 per nest, no call-out charge, same-day service available.