Wasp Nest in a Hedge or Bush – What Cobham Garden Owners Should Know
Honeybees, bumblebees and wasps can all turn up at a hedge in summer, and knowing which is which decides who you should call.
Before you call, work out what you have
A cluster of insects at a hedge sets off alarm bells, but wasps are not the only insects that nest or gather there. Honeybees may form a swarm and settle on a branch. Bumblebees sometimes nest in a hollow at the base of a bush. Either can look alarming to someone who is nervous about stings, and the right response is different for each.
This matters because we treat wasps only. If your hedge holds bees, the best step is to contact a local beekeeper or the relevant bee organisation, who can advise on bees without harming them. A wrong call wastes time on both sides.
Bumblebees nest in small colonies, often in old burrows, and generally leave people alone. A wasp colony reaching its peak in August may hold anywhere from 2,000 to 10,000 wasps or more, which is a very different scale of risk. That difference is another reason to find out what you have before deciding on action.
Telling wasps from bees
You do not need to get close. Binoculars or the zoom on a phone camera will do the job from a few metres.
- Wasps are slim and smooth with a narrow waist and bold black and yellow bands. They look shiny, not furry.
- Honeybees are a duller, golden-brown and a little hairy. They tend to cluster in a tight mass or fly steadily in and out of a cavity.
- Bumblebees are round, fat and very furry, and they fly with a heavy, bumbling motion.
- Wasps dart quickly, hover aggressively around food, and fly in straight lines.
- Wasp nests are built of grey, papery material. Bees do not make nests of paper.
If you are in any doubt, take a photo from a safe distance and compare.
One more thing to check before you decide is the time of year. Honeybee swarms usually occur in late spring and early summer, whereas a wasp colony builds toward its peak in August. A crowd on a branch in May is more likely bees, and heavy traffic at a hedge in August is more likely wasps. That is a guide, not a rule, so look at the behaviour too.
If you take photos, include something for scale, such as a gate post, and shoot from the side so the insects are in profile. A clear image of the insects themselves is more useful than a wide shot of the hedge.
Behaviour clues
Behaviour often tells you more than appearance.
- A tight ball of insects hanging from a branch, quiet and still, is a bee swarm and not a wasp nest.
- Insects visiting hedge flowers and moving on are feeding, not nesting.
- Insects entering a small hole at the base of a bush in ones and twos might be bumblebees.
- Heavy, fast two-way traffic to a papery nest or a gap in the hedge, with defensive wasps hovering, points to wasps.
Whatever the insect, the safe answer is the same for now: keep away, keep children and pets away, and do not spray or poke.
Whatever you find, avoid the temptation to spray or smoke the hedge. It will do nothing to help a swarm of bees and can provoke a nest of wasps. Both groups are best left until the right person arrives.
Do not worry if you get it wrong. Many people mistake one for the other, and it is better to ask than to guess. If you describe what you saw, including the colour, the size, the flight pattern and where they went, we can usually tell you whether it sounds like a wasp nest before any visit is booked. That costs nothing and may save you a call to the wrong person.
If it turns out to be wasps
A wasp nest in a hedge will be treated by a fully insured, qualified technician in a single visit. The price is a fixed £120 per nest, with £60 for an additional nest on the same property. There is no call-out charge, and we cover domestic and commercial customers around Cobham and neighbouring villages.
By August a colony can contain from 2,000 to 10,000 wasps or more, so do not delay if you are sure of what you see. Do not go close to confirm it, and never try to trim around it.
If the insects are indeed wasps, make a short note of the position and the time of day when they are busiest, which helps the technician plan the visit. Keep your household away from the hedge, bring pets indoors, and cover food and drink in the garden.
If it turns out to be bees
Bees matter to gardens, and they need handling differently from wasps. A swarm hanging from a branch is often only a temporary stop, and a beekeeper may be glad to collect it. Bumblebees nesting at the base of a bush are generally harmless if left alone and the nest lasts only a season.
Contact a local beekeeper or the relevant bee organisation for advice. Keep the hedge uncut until they have replied.
If you discover that you have wasps and bees at once, which can happen if there are flowers in the hedge and a nest nearby, you can ask us about the wasp nest and contact a beekeeper about the bees. The two problems are separate and can be handled separately.
Booking and a safe interim
If you cannot tell, you can describe what you have seen on the phone and we will advise whether it sounds like a wasp nest. Ring 01622 410 019 or send the form from the contact page. Mention any allergy at home so the booking can be prioritised. We offer same-day service, seven days a week, with evening and weekend appointments.
Until the visit, treat the hedge as out of bounds. Cover food and drink in the garden, keep the household indoors if there is any sign of agitation, and do not trim.
Wasps on your property in Cobham?
Fixed price £120 per nest, no call-out charge, same-day service available.