Wasp Control for Old Dalby Restaurants, Pubs and Commercial Premises
Loading bays, roller doors and pallet stacks give wasps plenty of sheltered places to build. Here is how warehouse and unit managers can deal with them safely.
Why a warehouse is a good place for a nest
A warehouse or commercial unit is full of dry, undisturbed corners. Roller shutter boxes, gaps behind cladding, the underside of a loading canopy, stacks of old pallets and rarely opened storage rooms are all places a queen wasp can choose in spring. Once the colony has started, the building offers shelter and warmth, and the yard offers drinks cans, food wrappers and a canteen bin.
The risk to staff is practical: a forklift driver who meets a swarm of wasps at the bay door is distracted, and a delivery driver who is stung on the way in may not want to return. The issue is health and safety as much as comfort.
Old Dalby is in Leicestershire, and units of this type are found in many villages and edge-of-town sites. The advice below does not depend on your location.
Quiet corners in the yard are as attractive as anywhere on the building. A tarpaulin over a stack of timber, a pile of old crates by the fence or a roll of insulation left outside can all hide a nest for weeks, and staff who walk past them every day may never look underneath.
Where to look on a commercial unit
Walk the outside of the building with a colleague, in the warm part of the day.
- The roller shutter box and the top of the door frame.
- The cladding joints, ridge, gutters and any gap where a pipe enters the wall.
- Loading canopies and the underside of mezzanine roofs.
- Pallet stacks and old equipment stored against the wall in the yard.
- Verges, banks and soil near the perimeter fence, where ground nests may form.
- Staff smoking shelters, canteen bin stores and portable cabins.
Look only from a distance. If you cannot see the entrance, the activity will usually tell you where it is: a line of wasps flying in and out at the same height. Do not move pallets or equipment close to a suspected nest.
If the unit has an upper floor or a roof walkway, do not go onto the roof to look. A site walk from ground level and from windows is enough for you to give a good description.
Keeping people safe in the meantime
The main task is to keep people away from the nest and avoid disturbing it. You can usually keep working while you wait for a visit if you make a few adjustments.
- Put up a clear barrier or sign around the area, and brief all shifts.
- Move drivers and forklifts to a different bay if possible.
- Keep canteen and vending areas clean and the bins closed.
- Tell contractors, drivers and visitors about the hazard on arrival.
- Do not use power tools, a pressure washer or heavy machinery next to the nest.
If someone is stung, they should wash the area, remove the sting if visible and use a cold pack. Facial swelling, a swollen throat or lips, wheezing, trouble breathing, dizziness or a widespread rash need a 999 call. Make sure first aiders know where the kit is, and tell us at booking if any member of staff is allergic.
Brief agency staff and new starters especially, since they are less likely to know about the hazard and more likely to walk past a barrier. A line on the shift handover sheet is enough, as long as everyone reads it before they go on the bay.
Where drivers sit in cabs with windows open, remind them to close the windows when parked near the affected area.
Treatment on an commercial site
A technician, trained and fully insured, will attend once you have agreed the price. The cost for a nest is a fixed £95 per nest, with £35 for an additional nest on the same property, and no call-out charge. The price is confirmed by phone beforehand and nothing is done until you agree. We are open seven days a week and offer same-day service.
Large buildings sometimes have several nests, such as one in the shutter box and one in the yard. List everything you have seen when you ring so the visit can be planned. Describe the access, including any ladders, gates and locks, and arrange for someone to open them. If you want the empty nest removed from a particular spot, ask when you book.
After treatment, the technician will explain when it is sensible to return to the area. Follow that advice rather than going back as soon as the wasps seem to have stopped flying.
Tenants, landlords and shared yards
On a multi-unit estate the question of who books treatment can be unclear. That depends on your lease and the arrangements with the landlord or estate manager, so check the documents rather than assume. A short note to the manager with a photo is usually enough.
If more than one unit is affected, ask the other tenants to look at their own buildings. We can discuss extra nests on the same property on the phone.
A photo of the shutter box, the canopy or the wall from a safe distance helps the discussion on the phone, and so does the unit number if the site has several buildings.
Do keep the yard clear of loose rubbish while you wait; a skip with an open lid is a magnet for foraging wasps from any nest nearby.
To arrange a visit
Ring 0116 214 9259 or send the form on the contact page, which is the quickest way to reach us from site. Give the site address, which unit, the position of the nest, any access issues, and a contact on site. After treatment, keep the yard tidy, close the bins and check the canopy and shutter boxes at the start of each shift until autumn.
Please mention any gate codes, security procedures or site inductions the technician will need to follow on arrival.
Wasps on your property in Old Dalby?
Fixed price £95 per nest, no call-out charge, same-day service available.