Found a Wasp Nest in Your Loft in Ratby? Here's What to Do
Before you ring anyone, it helps to be sure whether the insects in your roof are wasps, because bees need a different kind of help from the one we offer.
Why identification matters
Not every buzzing insect in a roof is a wasp. Honeybees and bumblebees sometimes nest in lofts, walls and chimneys, and they are valued insects with their own sources of help. Calling the wrong person wastes time and, for bees, can lead to a colony being treated when it should have been moved.
We treat wasps. If you suspect honeybees or bumblebees, contact a local beekeeper or the relevant bee organisation, and do not try to deal with the colony yourself. We do not claim to treat bees or hornets, so it is worth getting the identification right first.
If you live in Ratby and are not sure what you have, take a careful look from a distance, using the clues below.
It is understandable to feel unsure, because the insects are small and fast when seen from a distance. Take a minute or two to watch, and write down what you notice, rather than reaching a conclusion straight away.
The cost of a mistake is higher than it seems. Treating a bee colony harms an insect that many gardens depend on, and a wasp nest left alone keeps growing.
Telling the insects apart
Look at the insects entering and leaving the roof, not at the nest. A pair of binoculars or a phone zoom, used from the garden, makes it easier.
- Wasps have a smooth, slim body with a distinct narrow waist and bold yellow and black bands.
- Honeybees look browner and slightly furry, with a more rounded body.
- Bumblebees are large, round and very furry, often with pale or orange bands.
- Wasps fly in a quick, direct line; bees often move more slowly and carry yellow pollen on their legs.
If you are still unsure, note what you can see and describe it when you call. It is better to ask than to guess, and neither of us wants a colony treated unnecessarily.
Behaviour helps as well. Wasps are drawn to sweet food and meat in summer and may hover at your drinks. Bees are generally more interested in flowers than in your picnic.
What a wasp nest looks like
If you do have wasps, the nest is a papery structure, grey or brown, made from chewed wood fibre. It starts small, about the size of a walnut, and grows through the summer. By August it can be much larger and hold 2,000 to 10,000 or more wasps. In a loft it may hang from a rafter, sit against the roof felt or be tucked behind insulation.
Bees, by contrast, build with wax in comb form, and their colonies are often found in a cavity with a small entrance.
You should not go into the loft to check this. The look of the nest is a piece of information a technician can confirm safely. From the landing, the sound and the flight path outside are the safe clues.
Another useful point is the entrance. Wasp entrances tend to be a small, dark gap, with insects darting in and out. Bees often gather and fan near a crack in a more settled way. Neither tells you everything, but together they build a picture.
Hornets and other large insects
Occasionally, people see a very large insect around a roof and wonder about hornets. Hornets are bigger than wasps, with a more orange-brown look,. We treat wasps rather than hornets, so if you think you have a hornet nest, say so when you call and we can talk it through.
The same advice applies whatever you suspect: stay away from the nest, keep the hatch shut, do not block the entrance and do not try to deal with it yourself.
Some insects that look alarming are harmless. A large, slow, noisy fly or a single lost bumblebee in a bedroom is no cause for concern. A steady stream of wasps going in and out of one point is.
If it turns out that you have bees after all, thank yourself for checking. Leave the colony undisturbed and ask a local beekeeper or the relevant bee organisation for advice.
Staying safe while you work it out
Whatever you decide you have, the safety rules for a roof colony are the same, and they are simple.
- Stay out of the loft and keep the hatch shut.
- Do not block or cover the entrance.
- Keep children and pets from beneath the roofline entrance.
- Do not try to smoke out, hose or otherwise treat the colony yourself.
- Tell anyone else in the household what you have found.
If someone is stung, wash the area, remove the sting if visible and use a cold pack. Call 999 for swelling of the face, lips or throat, wheezing, difficulty breathing, dizziness or a widespread rash.
Hunting for the answer is easier from a garden chair than from the loft ladder. A few minutes of watching on a warm day, from well back, usually settles it.
When it is wasps
If your observations point to wasps, treatment is a fixed £95 per nest, confirmed on the phone before the technician visits. A further nest found on the same property is £35 extra. There is no call-out charge, and no work starts until you agree. The technician is trained and the work is fully insured. We offer same-day service, seven days a week, for homes and businesses.
Tell us if anyone is allergic to wasp stings. After the visit, stragglers may appear briefly; keep the hatch shut until they stop, then vacuum dead wasps and bin the bag.
Ring 0116 214 9259 or use the online booking form on the contact page.
Not everyone who rings us is certain, and that is perfectly fine. A few minutes on the phone describing the insects and the entrance often make the picture clear.
Wasps on your property in Ratby?
Fixed price £95 per nest, no call-out charge, same-day service available.