Wasp Nest in a Cavity Wall – How Professionals Treat Hidden Nests in Groby
Most problems with a hidden wall nest are made worse by well-meant attempts to fix them, so here are the mistakes we see most and the calmer alternative to each.
Why good intentions go wrong
Nobody wants a wasp nest in their wall, and nearly everyone wants to get rid of it quickly. That urgency is what leads to the usual mistakes. Each of them seems logical at the time, yet each tends to leave the household worse off than before.
Below are the six we hear about most, each with what happens and what to do instead. If you have already made one of them, do not worry. Just say so when you book, and keep clear of the wall.
It is worth saying that these mistakes are made by thoroughly sensible people. A hidden nest is a strange problem, and few of us have been taught what to do about one.
Mistake one and two: filling the hole and covering it up
Filling a gap with sealant, filler, tape or a rag is the classic error. The wasps are still in the cavity, they still need to leave and return, and they now look for another way. That way may be a different crack outside, or it may be into your house.
The same applies to putting a tile, board or plant pot over the opening. The wasps simply fly round it. The better course is to leave the entrance open, stay clear of it and book a treatment. Once the nest has been dealt with, the opening can be closed for good.
A Groby household that finds wasps in a bedroom after blocking an outside gap has usually created the route itself. It is an easy trap to fall into.
Be honest with yourself about how comfortable you are with insects, too. If the sight of a column of wasps makes you uneasy, that is entirely normal, and it is good reason to hand the job to someone who is used to it.
Mistake three and four: poking and pouring
- Poking: pushing a stick, wire or screwdriver into the gap to see what is there. This provokes the wasps at close range, and you will not reach the nest anyway.
- Pouring: tipping liquids or products from a shop into the hole. The nest is not reachable that way, and you could be standing in front of an angry colony while you try. We do not recommend anyone use shop products on a hidden nest.
The alternative is to leave it entirely alone. A hidden nest is exactly the kind that benefits most from someone who does this every day.
There is another variant of the poking mistake: drilling a small hole in the wall to see inside. Please do not. It creates a new opening for wasps to use, and it puts you very close to a nest you cannot see. Any investigation of this kind is best left to a technician who knows what they are doing.
Mistake five: waiting for it to go away
Some people hope that the wasps will lose interest. A colony does not leave an established nest in summer. It grows. Wasps begin building from late April, depending on the weather, the nest grows through the summer and the numbers peak in August, when it can contain 2,000 to 10,000 wasps or more.
That means the best time to act is as soon as you realise what is happening. The price for a nest is the same fixed £95 whether it is early or late in the season, so delay brings no saving, only more wasps.
In autumn, colonies decline naturally, but the entrance is still worth repairing before the next spring.
One more mistake belongs here: spending money on devices or deterrents that claim to keep wasps away. A wasp that has already built inside a wall will not be moved by a decoy or a scent. Treatment of the nest is what resolves the situation.
Mistake six: getting too close for a look
Standing right next to the gap to watch, taking photographs with a flash or looking in with a torch all put you in the flight path. It is not necessary. Watch from a few metres away or from a window, note where the wasps are going and describe it to us.
Never go near a live nest. Wasps can swarm and sting if they feel threatened, and a nest in a wall gives them a very short distance to travel to reach you. Anyone allergic to stings should keep well away and tell us when booking.
If somebody is stung, wash the area, remove the sting if visible and apply a cold pack. Call 999 for swelling of the face, lips or throat, wheeze or difficulty breathing, dizziness or a widespread rash.
The summary is that doing nothing for a few days is acceptable, doing something clever is not. Watch, record, keep away and phone.
The calmer alternative
The sensible alternative is simple. Watch from a distance, keep people and pets away, leave the entrance alone and arrange treatment. Our technicians are trained and fully insured, and they treat the nest through the entry point the wasps use. We do not detail the method here, but you can ask when you book, including whether the empty nest can be taken down.
A wasp nest is a fixed £95 per nest, and an additional nest on the same property is £35 per nest, with no call-out charge. We confirm the price on the phone before attending and do nothing until you agree. Ring 0116 214 9259 or send the form on the contact page. We work seven days a week and offer same-day service for homes and businesses.
If you have been stung already or fear you may be allergic, do not delay the call. Mention it, and we will take it into account when we plan the visit.
Wasps on your property in Groby?
Fixed price £95 per nest, no call-out charge, same-day service available.