Wasps Around Your Guttering and Fascias? How to Find the Nest in Markfield
Most problems with wasp nests get worse because of well-meant home remedies. These are the mistakes to avoid and what to do instead.
Why DIY tends to go wrong
Faced with a nest above the back door, it is natural to want to sort it out quickly. Shops sell all sorts of products for wasps, and the internet is full of tips. The trouble is that a nest in a roofline is hidden, high up, and home to thousands of insects that react to being disturbed.
Many calls to us begin with a householder who has tried something first. It is rarely their fault, but the attempt has often made the wasps more defensive or pushed them into a new route.
There is a further point about timing. A wasp nest is a living thing that responds to what you do. Anything that damages it without removing it tends to produce a more defensive colony, not a calmer one.
Add to that the question of where you would stand. The best place to apply anything to a roofline nest is directly below it or at the top of a ladder, both of which are exactly where the wasps respond most strongly. It is hard to design a worse position.
Mistakes people make most often
These are the ones we hear about again and again:
- Blocking the entrance with filler, tape, filler or a rag, which can send the wasps chewing through somewhere else, including into the house.
- Hosing the gap, which only angers the colony.
- Knocking the fascia or gutter, which sends vibrations through the nest.
- Standing on a ladder to apply anything, putting yourself at the entrance with no escape.
- Using aerosols from a distance, which does not reach the nest.
- Waiting and hoping, so that the colony grows and gets harder to ignore.
Each of these seems reasonable at the time. None of them solves the problem.
One more thing that catches people out is time of day. Attempts made on warm afternoons, when the colony is at its busiest, meet the most resistance. Even so, we would not suggest anyone try it at any hour.
Notice that nearly all of these involve getting close to the entrance. That is the common thread, and it is what makes them hazardous.
What to do instead
The better first move is a very low-key one. Watch from the ground, work out where the entrance is and film it. Keep family and pets away from the wall. Close windows near the nest. That is all. It costs nothing, it keeps you safe and it gives the technician what they need.
Residents in Markfield, as elsewhere, often feel they should be doing something more active. In truth, staying back is the active, sensible option. The job belongs to a trained person with the right equipment.
Think of your role as being the observer who passes on clear information. That helps the technician arrive prepared, and it keeps you and your family out of harm's way.
If you want to do something useful, tidy up around the garden: cover bins, bring in sweet drinks, and put away fruit. These simple changes reduce the number of wasps that stray into your space while you wait for the nest to be dealt with.
The cost of getting it wrong
A sting is the obvious risk, and for most people it is painful but passes. For those who are allergic it can be serious, and signs such as swelling of the face, lips or throat, wheezing, difficulty breathing, dizziness or a widespread rash call for 999 straight away. Anyone with a known allergy should talk to their GP.
There is also the risk of falls from a ladder and the risk of damage to the fascia, soffit or gutter. If you rent your home, damage to the building may be a matter for your tenancy agreement, so check it.
Damage to a fascia from prodding or prising boards can also turn a small gap into a large one, which then needs a bigger repair. Leaving the structure alone keeps the later cost down.
A fall is the injury people least expect, and it is the one that stays with them. A ladder placed on a path or a patio, below a nest, is not a place to be working with one hand.
The straightforward alternative
Wasp nest treatment with us is a fixed £95 per nest, with £35 for an additional nest on the same property, and no call-out charge. We are open seven days a week, offer same-day service and cover both domestic and commercial properties. A trained technician handles the job, and it is fully insured.
The number is 0116 214 9259, and the booking form on the contact page works too. The price is confirmed on the phone before the visit and nothing is done without your agreement. Mention any allergy in the household when you book.
Remember that the price is confirmed before the visit, so there are no surprises on the doorstep, and the work is covered by the technician's insurance.
If more than one nest turns out to be present, the second is only £35 and you will know the total before anyone sets out.
Once it is done
After the nest has been treated, the gap needs closing. A joiner or builder can seal splits and holes, and replace any rotten boards. Ask when booking whether the empty nest can be taken down, since some people prefer to see it gone.
Next spring, take a few minutes on a mild day in late April or May to check the roofline from the ground. If you see wasps visiting one spot more than once, call early.
Take photographs of any damaged boards after the visit and keep them with your records, in case a landlord or insurer asks. Whether any cost is covered depends on your policy or agreement.
A small repair done properly now is cheaper than a repeat of the problem, and a sound fascia is the most reliable wasp deterrent a home can have.
Wasps on your property in Markfield?
Fixed price £95 per nest, no call-out charge, same-day service available.