Are Wasps Dangerous? Understanding Stings and Nest Disturbance in Leicester Forest East
Sheds, garages and outbuildings are popular with wasps, and the danger comes from opening a door or lifting a lid without knowing a colony is inside.
The door you open every day
Most people only find a nest in a shed or garage by opening it. They reach for a bike, a lawnmower, a ladder or a box, and a cloud of wasps pours out. A nest in a building you use is dangerous because you are walking into it, usually in a hurry, often with your hands full, and in a confined space where it is hard to back away.
This is general safety advice and not a substitute for medical care if anyone is stung.
Outbuildings suit wasps for obvious reasons. They are dry, still and sheltered, and they are often left alone for weeks at a time, which is just what a queen looks for in spring. Small gaps that you would never notice, such as a missing felt strip, a loose board or a gap round a pipe, are all she needs.
The same logic applies to bin stores, log stores, summer houses and the space under decking. If something is left undisturbed through spring, check it from a distance before you use it.
Signs of a nest inside an outbuilding
Check these before you open the door.
- wasps entering and leaving through a gap in the roof, eaves, door frame, vent or knot hole;
- a steady hum or rustling from inside, particularly on a warm day;
- several wasps trapped against the window, trying to get out;
- chewed wood or paper-like fragments on the floor or sill;
- a grey, papery shape visible through a gap or glass.
Wasps begin building from late April depending on the weather, and a nest started in spring may fill much of the available space by August. A shed that has not been opened since May can hold a very big surprise by the school holidays.
If the building has a loft or roof space, the nest may be above your head rather than at eye level. Look up at the ceiling and the rafters through the window, and watch for wasps that appear to come from the roof edge instead of the doorway.
Before you open the door
Spend a minute at a distance looking and listening.
- Stand a few steps back and watch the roof edge, the door frame and any gaps for wasps going in and out.
- Listen at a distance. If you can hear buzzing from outside, do not go in.
- Look through a window rather than opening the door where possible.
- If you see traffic or hear a nest, leave the building closed, tell the household and stop using it.
- Put a note on the door so that others do not open it by mistake.
Do not rely on the absence of wasps at the moment. A quiet cool morning can hide a colony that is about to become active.
When you have to enter a building to switch something off, such as a power supply, think first about whether it can wait. A short delay while a technician arrives is almost always better than a rush job through a doorway full of wasps.
If you open the door and wasps come out
The right response is to leave at once and calmly. Step back, keep your arms low, and walk away from the building, then go indoors and close the door behind you. Do not try to shut the shed door on the nest if it means staying near it. Take care not to run into others, and watch the path in front of you.
Once safe, check yourself and anyone nearby for stings. Wash them, use a cold pack and keep watch. Dial 999 if there is swelling of the face, lips or throat, wheeze or trouble breathing, dizziness or a widespread rash.
Resist going back for tools, bikes or garden equipment until the nest has been dealt with. In Leicester Forest East, as anywhere, the wasps can stay on alert around the entrance for some time after a disturbance.
Once the building is quiet again, ask the technician at booking whether the empty nest can be taken down, since leaving it in place does not usually help and cleaning out the space is more pleasant afterwards. Wait for their advice on when to go back in.
Garages, lofts over garages and lean-tos
A garage may have more than one way in for wasps, such as an up-and-over door with gaps at the sides, airbricks, roof lights and the junction with the house wall. If your garage has a door into the house, check that the internal door is closed and think about blocking a draught gap with a towel on your side, without touching the entrance on the outside.
If cars are kept in the garage, walk to them only if you are confident the nest is away from the route, and ideally wait until after treatment.
Items stored in a garage, such as boxes against the wall, can hide the base of a nest. When the all-clear is given, move things slowly and look behind them before you reach in.
Having the nest treated
A nest treatment costs a fixed £95 per nest, and each additional nest on the same property is £35 extra. There is no call-out charge, the price is confirmed on the phone before the technician visits and nothing is done without your agreement. Technicians are trained and fully insured, and we cover domestic and commercial premises seven days a week, with same-day service offered.
Reach us on 0116 214 9259 or book online using the contact page form. Tell us which building it is and where the wasps are going in, and mention if anyone is allergic to wasp stings. Ask whether the empty nest can be taken down once treated.
Wasps on your property in Leicester Forest East?
Fixed price £95 per nest, no call-out charge, same-day service available.