Wasps vs Bees – How to Identify Them Before Arranging Pest Control in Wymeswold
A few clear details make a big difference when you phone a wasp technician. This guide covers what to photograph, what to describe and what to leave alone.
Why your description matters
When someone calls about insects, the first thing we want to know is whether they are wasps. We cannot see the nest, so we rely on your description, and a good one helps us give you a straight answer about whether the job is ours.
You do not need technical language. Plain words are fine. What helps is order and detail, because it is easy to say “bees in the roof” when you have only seen a fast shape at a window. A calm, careful note taken over a short time is better than an alarmed guess.
If the insects turn out to be bees, we will say so and point you to a beekeeper or bee organisation, rather than sending someone out for no reason.
People also tend to forget the time. Telling us when you last saw them, and whether they are active all day or only in the sun, makes the picture clearer.
Taking a useful photograph safely
A photograph is helpful but not essential. If you take one, do it from a safe place.
- Use the zoom on your phone rather than moving closer.
- Photograph from indoors or from across the garden.
- Take one picture of the entrance and one of an insect resting on a surface if you can.
- Avoid flash, which can irritate insects, and never lean towards the entrance.
A picture of the wall or roof, showing the location of the hole, is nearly as valuable as a picture of the insect itself. It lets the technician judge access before arrival.
If you want a second image, wait until an insect is resting on a window pane. A resting wasp shows its waist and stripes plainly, and a bee shows its fur. Take that from the inside of the glass, with no part of you outside.
Short video clips, shot from a distance, can show the flight line to the entrance more clearly than a still.
Describing the insect itself
Think about shape first. Is the waist narrow and the body sleek, or is it round and furry? A slender, shiny insect with sharp yellow and black bands is typical of wasps. A fluffy, rounded insect in gold, brown or black and yellow points towards bees.
Next consider behaviour. Are they heading straight to the same spot? Are they landing on drinks, bins or fruit? Or do they move from flower to flower and ignore you? Wasps tend to do the first two. Bees tend to do the third.
Finally, mention size. Queens in spring are larger than workers, and a single large wasp in a shed in April is a different matter from a stream of wasps in August.
Sound is also part of the description. A dry rasp in a wall is typical of wasps working, while a steady hum suggests honeybees, and a deep drone is more typical of bumblebees.
Do not worry if you cannot judge every feature. Two or three observations, such as a narrow waist, a straight flight line and interest in sweet drinks, already make a convincing case.
Describing the place and the access
Where the insects are matters as much as what they are. Tell us whether the entrance is at ground level, on a wall, in a roof edge, in a tree or bush, in a shed or in a garage. If it is high up or hard to reach, say so, because the technician will plan the visit accordingly.
Say also whether the area is shared, such as a boundary wall, or whether it is easy for a family to avoid. We ask because the work is simpler when we know who needs to be warned beforehand.
Tell us if anyone in the house is allergic to wasp stings. We can take it into account on the day.
If you can, tell us how long you have noticed the activity. A nest begins in late April depending on weather, so activity that has gone on for weeks and is increasing is a typical pattern for a wasp colony in summer.
Mention the weather as well. Activity changes with warmth, and a nest that seems quiet on a cold morning can look very different by mid-afternoon in sunshine.
What not to do while you wait
The best thing you can do is almost nothing. Keep your distance and keep other people away. Do not block the hole, poke it, hose it or try to remove anything.
Close windows near the entrance if insects are straying into rooms. Keep pets on a lead or indoors. If a child is playing nearby, steer them elsewhere for now.
Honeybees and bumblebees are pollinators and should be left to a beekeeper or bee organisation, so please do not try to destroy anything until you know what you have.
If a delivery, a gardener or a neighbour is about to be near the entrance, warn them as well. Many stings are suffered by someone who simply did not know.
Making the booking
When you are ready, ring 0116 214 9259 or use the booking form on the contact page. A wasp nest is treated at a fixed price of £95 per nest, and an additional nest on the same property is £35 per nest. There is no call-out charge, and we confirm the price on the phone before we visit around Wymeswold and the surrounding villages.
Our trained and fully insured technicians work seven days a week, and same-day service is available. Nothing happens until you have agreed. If you want to know whether the empty nest can be taken down afterwards, ask when you book.
If you ring and are unsure about anything, say so. We would rather hear an honest “I am not certain” than a confident guess that sends the wrong help.
Wasps on your property in Wymeswold?
Fixed price £95 per nest, no call-out charge, same-day service available.