Do Wasps Return to the Same Nest Every Year? A Guide for Deal Gardens
Many people see a few wasps in May and decide to wait and see, but the time to act on a nest is usually before it has had a chance to grow.
The decision most people face
You see a wasp or two going into a gap on a sunny day in May. Do you do something about it now, when it looks like very little, or wait to see whether it comes to anything? Most people choose to wait, and the usual reason is hope: perhaps it is just a stray, perhaps it will go away.
It is worth knowing what is going on behind that gap. Wasps do not return to last year’s nest. A new queen has started a new one, and it will grow through the summer. By August it can hold from 2,000 to 10,000 wasps or more. A decision made in May decides what you are facing in August.
For a household in Deal, on the east Kent coast, or anywhere else, it is a decision worth making with the facts in front of you.
There is one more factor, which is the household itself. Some people are happy to live alongside a nest at the end of the garden, and others are anxious from the first wasp. Neither response is wrong, but you should know which you are before you decide.
What waiting looks like
Colonies do not sit still. In the first weeks, a queen builds a small nest and rears the first workers. As these emerge, they take over the building and foraging, and the queen stays inside. Each batch is larger than the last.
By midsummer, the nest has often outgrown its original space. Wasps are visible in numbers around the entrance, and the nest may bulge out of its cavity or push through a ceiling. By August it is at its peak.
Meanwhile, the household has been living with the situation. Doors have been kept shut, children warned, the garden used less. That is the cost of waiting, and it is often greater than people expect.
There are also practical effects. A large nest in a roof space or wall cavity can stain a ceiling or wall as the paper and the wasps’ activity affect the surface. A nest in a shed may prevent you from using it for the whole summer.
What acting early looks like
A small nest in spring is a simple problem. A technician arrives, treats it and the job is done, usually long before it has affected anyone. The household has the whole summer without the nest.
There is also less risk of stings. A young colony has fewer defenders, and the area around it can be kept clear for a short time. Contrast this with a large nest in August, with thousands of wasps and a lot of anxious activity.
Acting early does not mean panicking. It means treating a confirmed nest as a job to be done, not a worry to be carried.
Early treatment also helps in a way people seldom think of, which is that it gives you information. Once the technician has seen the nest and the site, you know what was there, where it was and what could be done to stop it happening again.
How to be sure it is a nest
Early on, you may not be certain. Here is how to tell.
- Watch for wasps going into the same gap more than once
- Look for the same behaviour on two different days
- Note whether the wasps carry anything or seem to be building
- Keep a safe distance of a few metres at all times
One wasp investigating is a queen looking. A wasp entering and leaving repeatedly is a nest. If you are unsure, ring and describe what you have seen.
Take a photograph if you can do so safely from a distance, as it helps with describing the position of the gap. Do not stand close to the entrance for long, as the wasps may notice you.
A short written note is worth making: the date you first saw the traffic, the position of the gap and how many wasps you counted in a minute. It will help you judge whether the activity is growing.
When waiting can be reasonable
There are cases where it makes sense to wait, such as a nest in a far corner of a large garden where nobody goes. Even then, keep an eye on it, and have a plan for what you will do if it grows or if someone is stung.
If the nest is anywhere near a door, a path, a window or a play space, waiting is not wise. The same goes for a household with an allergy, in which case the booking should mention it so that the visit can be prioritised.
Whatever you decide, do not leave a decision hanging for weeks. A nest that is monitored every few days is a managed risk, and a nest that is forgotten is not.
What it costs and how to book
A treatment is a fixed £120 per nest, and an additional nest on the same property is £60 extra. There is no call-out charge, and the price stays the same in May and in August, and whatever the location or time of day. Everyone who visits is fully insured and qualified, and the booking carries one visit guaranteed.
Ring 01622 410 019, or book through the form at /contact-us/. We take bookings every day of the week and can often arrange same-day service.
If you aren’t sure whether to book, describe the situation to us and we will say whether we think a visit is worthwhile.
Tell us how to reach the site, and whether there is any gate or key to arrange.
Wasps on your property in Deal?
Fixed price £120 per nest, no call-out charge, same-day service available.