Wasps vs Bees – How to Identify Them Before Arranging Pest Control in Broadstairs
When paying guests are staying, an insect problem needs a calm and professional response, and correct identification is the first step in deciding what to do and whom to tell.
Guests notice everything
A visitor on holiday is relaxed, looking for a good time and quick to notice anything that spoils it. A cluster of insects by the front door, a nest above the patio or a wasp in the breakfast room will be remembered long after the sunshine has faded. As a host, you want to deal with the problem before it becomes a complaint.
If you run a guesthouse, a holiday let or a bed and breakfast in Broadstairs, on the Kent coast, the best approach is to identify quickly, decide calmly and act without drama. This guide is about the first of those, with a few practical notes on the others.
Reviews matter in hospitality, and a calm, well-handled problem rarely hurts them. Guests tend to remember how a host responded, not that something happened. A quick apology, a clear explanation and an alternative seat usually leave a better impression than silence.
Training the team to spot the difference
Anyone who cleans, serves or looks after the property can help. Give them a short briefing.
- Wasps are smooth, glossy and narrow-waisted, with crisp yellow and black bands.
- Bees are fuzzy and rounder, in gold, brown or black and buff.
- A steady stream of insects through one small gap is a nest. A wandering visitor is not.
- Report anything unusual to one named person, with a photograph if it is safe to take one.
- Never swat, spray or block a hole.
A laminated card in the staff room is enough, and it keeps everyone consistent.
For self-catering lets where nobody is on site, add an instruction to the welcome folder: if guests see a stream of insects around a door, window or wall, they should keep away and ring you. That small step stops a problem from going unreported for a week.
The areas that matter most
Think about the places guests use. Outdoor seating, breakfast terraces, entrance porches, bin stores, bike sheds, gardens and the gaps around windows are all potential trouble spots. Check them daily during summer, especially in the middle of the day when insect activity is greatest.
Wasp nests begin in late April, depending on the weather, in gaps in eaves and walls, chimneys, trees, bushes or holes in the ground. The nest gets busier week by week and peaks in August, when it can hold from 2,000 to 10,000 or more wasps.
A nest spotted in early summer is much easier to manage than one that has been growing unnoticed until August, when the property is probably at its busiest.
Include the changeover clean in your checks. Cleaners are often the first people through the property after guests leave, and they can look at window frames, door heads and the base of the walls as they work. A two-minute glance each time is plenty.
Dealing with guests sensibly
If guests report insects, thank them, take the details and reassure them that you are looking into it. Do not dismiss the concern. If the insects are in a place they use, such as a terrace, consider closing the area and offering an alternative.
Give a nest a very wide berth, because the colony can swarm and sting if it feels threatened. Keep guests away from the area with a sign or a quiet word, rather than a dramatic announcement. Keep food and drink covered at outdoor tables, and clear plates promptly.
If a guest is stung, give first aid.
For an ordinary sting, wash the site, take out a visible sting and cool it with a cold pack. Dial 999 at once if there is swelling of the face, lips or throat, wheeze or difficulty breathing, dizziness or a widespread rash. Someone with a history of allergic reactions should raise it with their GP in advance.
Whether an incident needs to be recorded, or whether your insurance policy has any bearing, depends on your own policy and procedures, so check those rather than guessing.
Photographs are particularly valuable for accommodation, as you may not be present when the insects are seen. Ask guests or staff to send a picture taken from a safe distance, with a note of the time and place, and pass it on to us. It will speed up the conversation.
Bees on the premises
Bumblebees and honeybees are useful pollinators, so a local beekeeper or the relevant bee organisation is who to ask. Our work treats wasps and nothing else, and we will tell you plainly if it sounds like bees. If your planters are popular with bees, there is no need to do anything beyond keeping seating a little distance away.
If your premises have outdoor furniture, think about where it sits. Moving tables and chairs a few metres away from a suspected entrance, and covering any food, makes service at that spot more comfortable until the nest is dealt with.
Arranging a visit between check-ins
Wasp Exterminator Kent works for domestic and commercial customers, and holiday accommodation is no exception. Ask for a slot between check-out and check-in, or in the evening or at the weekend.
To get a visit organised, dial 01622 410 019 or leave your details on the contact page. The cost of dealing with a nest is priced at a fixed £120 and there is no call-out charge, with one visit guaranteed. Each extra nest at the same address costs £60 more.
The company is available every day of the week, for homes and commercial premises, with same-day service. Weekend and evening visits are available, and the technicians are fully insured and qualified.
When there is a sting allergy in the family, tell us when booking and we can prioritise the visit. If a guest has told you about an allergy, mention that too.
Wasps on your property in Broadstairs?
Fixed price £120 per nest, no call-out charge, same-day service available.