Wasps Around Your Guttering and Fascias? How to Find the Nest in Coldred
A nest in the roof edge can connect to the loft space, but opening the hatch to look is a bad idea; careful listening from below tells you much of what you need.
The roof edge and the loft
The cavity behind a fascia or soffit often runs into the roof space itself, particularly where the roof meets the wall at the eaves. A nest built in that cavity may therefore sit only a short distance from the loft, and the sounds of the colony can carry into the space above your ceiling.
Many people think the best way to check is to go up and look. It is actually one of the worst ideas. A loft is dark, confined and awkward to move around in, and the wasps may be only a hand’s breadth away.
Loft spaces are also where people store boxes, suitcases and old furniture. Wasps can find their way past stored items to the cavity at the eaves, and a householder retrieving a box in summer can walk into trouble. Anyone in the habit of visiting the loft in warm weather should think twice if they have noticed wasps outside.
Why you should not open the hatch
Opening the hatch lets in light and air, and may disturb a nest on the other side of a joist. You would be in a confined space with limited footing, and any wasps that come out will be at close range. If you drop the hatch cover, or fall, you are in a poor position to recover.
It is also easy to leave the hatch open by mistake and allow wasps to wander into the house. Keep it closed, and let the technician take care of the loft if it needs inspecting.
If you hear nothing but see wasps around the hatch, close the door of the room, put a towel along the bottom of the door if you can, and keep the hatch shut. Do not try to deal with those wasps by opening the hatch and swatting.
What you can learn from below
Stand quietly in the room below the hatch or beneath the eaves and listen for a minute or two, with the window closed. Do this at a warm time of day and note what you hear.
- A continuous hum or papery rustle from above or from the wall near the eaves.
- A louder sound in one corner than in others.
- Wasps appearing around the light fitting or the hatch frame.
- A dark stain on the ceiling or a tiny hole in the plaster.
- Wasps at the window of the room beneath the eaves.
Choose a quiet moment. Switch off the television, the radio and any fans, and give yourself a couple of minutes of still listening. The longer you stay, the more your ears adjust, and faint sounds become clearer. A phone can record the noise, which you can play to the office.
Pay attention to your own safety too. Do not climb on a chair or stool to put your ear to the ceiling. Stay on the floor and listen from a stable position. A small child or a pet in the room should be taken out so that they do not run up to see what you are doing.
Outside, confirm the entrance
Go outside and look at the roof edge above the room where you heard the sound. Watch for wasps entering a gap in the fascia or soffit. If you see them, you have linked inside and outside, and you can describe the position clearly.
Take a zoomed photograph and note which room lies beneath. Tell the technician which part of the house the sound seems to come from, as it may help them judge how far the cavity extends.
A note of the room is important because the loft often runs over several rooms. Say whether the sound is above the landing, a bedroom or a bathroom, and which side of the house that room faces. It helps the technician choose where to start.
Bear in mind that some of the noise you hear may be from wasps that are already inside the loft, rather than the nest itself. A few straying wasps in the loft do not mean the nest is there, but they do mean a route exists, which the technician will want to know about.
Treatment and the roof space
Treatment is £120 per nest, fixed, with no call-out charge and no extra for position or time of day. To keep it simple, one visit is guaranteed, as the price graphic says. A further nest on the property is priced at £60 extra.
After treatment, have the roof space and the fascia checked by a builder or roofer, since gaps between the two may need sealing. Ask the technician at booking whether the empty nest can be taken down.
If the loft is used for storage or contains a water tank or electrical equipment, tell the office. The technician may need to know what is up there, and who has the keys or access arrangements.
Heat is another factor. A loft in summer can become very hot, so the sound may rise and fall through the day, and it is worth listening at more than one time.
Booking in Coldred
You can phone 01622 410 019 or send a request through the contact page form. The business is open seven days a week with same-day service, plus evening and weekend appointments. One more point: Domestic and commercial customers are both welcome.
Mention whether anyone in the household is allergic to stings, so the booking can be prioritised.
Do not enter the loft until the technician has said it is safe, even to check whether the nest has gone.
Ask about the loft insulation and any boards when you book. The technician may want to know whether they will have to move anything, and a short description of what is stored near the eaves is helpful.
Wasps on your property in Coldred?
Fixed price £120 per nest, no call-out charge, same-day service available.