Wasp Nest in a Hedge or Bush – What Coldred Garden Owners Should Know
Where a hedge meets an old stump or a tangle of roots, there are gaps and hollows below ground that suit a wasp colony very well.
Below the hedge, not in it
Look at the foot of an old hedge or the base of a tree and you will often find a hollow: a gap between roots, a rotten stump, a cavity where a limb has decayed or an old burrow that has been enlarged. Wasps use all of these. They offer shelter, warmth and a ready-made space that needs little digging.
A nest in such a place can grow to the size of a football or more, hidden in the dark. It looks like nothing from above. By August the colony may hold 2,000 to 10,000 wasps or more, and a person walking past, mowing or clearing around the base is the one who finds out.
Old hedgerows are particularly likely to have these hollows, because the bank beneath may have been built up over a long time, with roots, stones and rotten wood. The structure is varied, with plenty of gaps. A hedge that has been left alone for years offers a patchwork of cavities, and a tidy, trimmed one does not.
Where to look
Search with your eyes only.
- The gaps between roots where a tree trunk meets the ground.
- A decaying stump, especially one with holes in the side.
- The bank under a hedge, where soil has slipped and left a cavity.
- Hollows at the foot of old coppiced trees.
- Piles of logs or old timber stacked against a hedge.
Watch for wasps landing and vanishing into any of these. If you see a regular stream, you have found the nest, and nothing more needs to be done on your part except stay away.
A nest in the roots often has more than one entrance, especially if the colony has dug out a side tunnel. Watching from a distance, you may see wasps appearing at two or three points a few feet apart. That is still one nest, and the technician will deal with it as such. If the points are widely separated, tell us, as it may be two.
Rain can make a base nest harder to find, because the entrance darkens and the traffic slows, but it does not stop the colony. If you see fewer wasps in wet weather, do not assume the nest has gone. Look again when it is dry and warm.
One more point about footing. Banks under hedges are often uneven and slippery, so a retreat from a nest can end in a fall. If you do have to go near the base for any reason, wear sturdy shoes, look where you step and keep your route back to the path clear.
What not to do at the base
Do not clear leaves from the base to see what is underneath. Do not poke a stick in a hole. Do not pour anything into a cavity. And do not stack, move or burn logs near the base.
Strimming and mowing the base of the hedge are the commonest causes of accidents, because the vibration travels through the soil and roots to the nest. Heavy footsteps near a hole can be enough. Dogs are a particular risk, since they love to dig at cavities, and one that has found a nest can be stung many times.
If a garden roller, wheelbarrow or heavy tool needs to pass, find another route.
Grass is a danger here. A nest hidden in long grass at the foot of a hedge is easy to tread on. If you have a path or a gap in the hedge that people use regularly, close it off with a cane or a chair and walk another way.
Take care with children's games near the base, such as den-building or looking for hedgehogs. Explain that no one goes into the hedge bottom, and why. Wildlife is welcome, but wasps are not.
Treating a nest in the roots
A nest under roots is treated by a fully insured, qualified technician. Each nest costs a flat £120 per nest, any further nest at the same address adds £60 extra, and nothing is charged for the call-out. The price does not change for an awkward position.
Tell us what the base looks like and how the wasps get in. If the stump or hollow is on a neighbour's land or a verge, say so, so that access can be planned.
Hollow trunks are a bigger challenge than roots because the entrance may be higher up. Describe the height and position of any hole, so the technician can plan.
Booking
Bookings can be made on 01622 410 019, or book online through the contact page, including for emergency requests outside normal hours. We cover Coldred and nearby villages, domestic and commercial, seven days a week, with same-day service and evening and weekend appointments. Tell us if anyone at home is allergic so the booking can be prioritised.
If the hedge belongs to a farm track, a verge or a neighbour, let the owner know what you have seen. Walkers and other users of the route may pass directly by the entrance, and a notice can protect them.
What to do afterwards
Ask the technician when you can clear the base and whether the empty nest can be taken down or the hollow filled. Stay clear until they say so. Think about removing a rotten stump or tidying the roots in the colder months, since fewer hollows mean fewer sites. From late April next year, look at the base of the hedge from a distance.
A neighbour with a field or lane edge next to your hedge may well have the same sort of banks, and wasps do not stop at boundaries. A short chat about what you have seen is worth having.
Wasps on your property in Coldred?
Fixed price £120 per nest, no call-out charge, same-day service available.