Wasps Around Your Guttering and Fascias? How to Find the Nest in Deal
The first few hours after you spot a likely wasp nest are the best time to protect people, gather useful information and decide who to ring, without doing anything rash.
Pause before you act
The moment you see wasps vanishing into a gap at the roof edge, a flurry of ideas may come to mind. Most of them involve doing something about it straight away. The best first step is the opposite: stop, step back and take a breath.
Nothing about a nest requires you to act within the minute, and nothing you do in the first five minutes will make things better if it involves touching it. The aim is to keep everyone safe and gather the facts.
Wasps are only really dangerous when they are provoked. A nest that is left alone for a few hours is no more hazardous than it was a few hours ago, whereas a nest that has been poked is a hazard the moment it happens. Taking things slowly is the safe approach.
In the first ten minutes
Move yourself and anyone nearby away from the wall. Bring children and pets indoors. Close windows and doors near the roof edge, and put any food or drink away.
- Step back to a few metres away and note where the wasps are going.
- Bring children and pets inside.
- Close nearby windows and doors.
- Cover food and drink outdoors.
- Make a mental note of the wall, the height and the nearest window.
It may help to tell yourself that you are collecting information, not fighting an enemy. That mindset prevents impulsive actions and keeps you thinking about what a technician will need to know. The calmer you are, the better the next steps will go.
Resist the temptation to tell everyone on social media or to invite friends round to take a look. A crowd at the wall increases the chance of stings, and the people you invite may not take the same care that you do.
In the first hour
Take photographs from the ground, using the zoom on your phone. Take one wide shot of the whole wall, and one close shot of the gap. Watch for ten minutes and note whether the traffic is steady. Write down what you see.
Check the rest of the property while you are at it, walking at a distance. Look for a second entrance, in case there is more than one nest. And tell the rest of the household where the nest is, so nobody walks under it by accident.
If it is evening when you spot the nest, you can still do the first steps. Wasps are quieter at night, and the roof edge will look different in the dark, so take photographs again the following morning in good light. Do not shine a torch at the gap.
Notice what you can hear and smell as well. A steady hum or a papery rustle through the wall is a good clue. If there is a strange smell, mention it to the office rather than investigating.
What not to do
Do not block the gap, spray it, hose it or knock the board. Do not use a ladder. Do not ask a neighbour to help by climbing up. Do not sweep up debris from beneath the nest while wasps are flying.
If someone is stung, wash the area, remove the sting if you can see it and apply a cold pack. Worth noting: call 999 for swelling of the face, lips or throat, wheezing or difficulty breathing, dizziness or a widespread rash. Mention any allergy to the office, so that the booking can be prioritised.
Once the notes are taken, share them with anyone else in the household so everybody knows what has been seen. A message to the family group or a note on the fridge is a simple way to keep people informed, and a good way to make sure nobody has a nasty surprise.
A practical habit is to keep your phone charged and your photographs backed up, so that you can send them or show them quickly. You may also want to note down the office number now, so you do not have to hunt for it later.
Making the call
Once you have your notes and photographs, ring the office. In short, treatment is a fixed £120 per nest, with no call-out charge and one visit guaranteed, as the price graphic says. A further nest on the property comes to £60 extra. Overall, the technician is fully insured and qualified.
Same-day service is offered, and the business is open seven days a week with evening and weekend appointments. The form on the contact page can be used for an emergency out of normal hours.
If you are going out for the day, think about who will be at home when the technician comes. Same-day service is offered, so you may be able to fix a time that suits you. Mention that you would like a call before the technician arrives.
Finally, think about how you will recognise the technician and where to direct them. Leaving the side gate unlocked and telling a neighbour to expect a visitor avoids delays and awkward moments at the door.
Booking in Deal
You can phone 01622 410 019 or fill in the booking form on the contact page. Even so, domestic and commercial customers are both welcome.
After the visit, arrange for the gap to be repaired, and ask the technician whether the empty nest can be taken down.
If a family member is in the habit of sitting outside with a cup of tea, politely ask them to move to the other side of the garden for a few days. It is a small thing and avoids the most common cause of stings.
When you are done with the notes, tidy up the area gently. Pick up drinks, bring in pet bowls and close the bin lids, then leave the rest alone until help arrives.
Wasps on your property in Deal?
Fixed price £120 per nest, no call-out charge, same-day service available.