Can You Remove a Wasp Nest Yourself? Advice for Goodnestone Homeowners

Fallen fruit, compost and sweet scraps draw wasps in numbers, and knowing whether you have a feeding problem or a nest problem decides what to do next.

Two different problems that look alike

Walk into a garden in late summer with a plum tree or apple trees and you may find dozens of wasps on the fallen fruit. It looks alarming, and many people assume there must be a huge nest nearby. Sometimes there is. Often the wasps are simply feeding, and they may have come from several nests, none of them on your property.

It matters which it is. A feeding problem is managed by removing what attracts the wasps. A nest problem needs a technician. Mixing them up leads people to attack the wrong thing, such as spraying the fruit while ignoring a nest in the shed.

Goodnestone gardens with fruit trees, bushes and compost areas have the same choice as any others. The question of removing a nest yourself comes up only if you actually have a nest, so the first job is to find out from a safe distance.

Nests begin from late April, depending on the weather, and by August a colony can hold anywhere from 2,000 to 10,000 or more wasps. That is also when fruit starts to fall.

There is a social angle too. Neighbours with fruit trees may have the same trouble, and wasps do not respect fences. If the whole street is plagued by wasps in August, it may be several nests, and a conversation over the fence could turn up the one that needs attention.

How to tell feeding from nesting

Spend a few minutes watching from a safe spot.

• Wasps on fruit wander about, land, feed and fly off in different directions.
• A nest entrance has traffic in a steady, purposeful line, with wasps flying straight in and straight out of the same small gap.
• Feeding wasps often return to the same food again and again, but they do not go into a hole.
• If you see a wasp leave the fruit and head in one clear direction, note it. Several wasps heading the same way suggests a nest in that direction, though not necessarily on your land.

It can be hard to tell, and you should not follow the wasps to find out. If you are unsure, say so when you book.

Time of day helps. In the early morning, feeding wasps are fewer and the nest traffic is the only thing moving. By the afternoon, there are many more wasps at the fruit and the nest entrance can be harder to pick out. Do your watching when it is calm, but keep your distance whenever you do it.

Managing the fruit and the mess

While you work out what you have, do the things that make the garden less attractive.

• Collect fallen fruit daily, early in the morning, and dispose of it in a lidded bin.
• Do not leave open compost, cut fruit or sticky containers in the garden.
• Cover drinks and food when eating outside, and clear plates quickly.
• Wipe tables and wash sticky hands and faces after eating.
• Take care when picking fruit from the tree, because wasps may be inside a half-eaten piece.

Wear shoes in the garden, and look before you pick up anything from the ground. A wasp in a crushed fruit is more likely to sting if handled.

Beware of overripe fruit left in a bowl on a garden table or a plastic bag of windfalls beside the back door. Both are an open invitation. Even a small amount of sticky juice on a bench is enough.

Finally, be gentle on the garden. Raking up leaves, moving logs or clearing a patch of ivy in search of the nest is how people get stung, so keep to watching.

When a nest is the real problem

Call a technician if you see wasps repeatedly entering a hole in a bank, wall, shed or roof, if they are getting into the house, or if you cannot work in the garden without being surrounded. These point to a nest.

Do not try to deal with it yourself. A nest is defended by many wasps, and they can swarm and sting if threatened. Avoid sprays, smoke and water, and keep children and pets away.

Should anyone be stung, clean the area, remove a visible sting and put a cold pack on it. Treat it as an emergency and call 999 for wheezing or difficulty breathing, swelling of the face, lips or throat, dizziness or a widespread rash. People who know they are allergic should have a word with their GP.

It is easy to blame the wrong thing. A tree may be cut down or fruit stripped, only for the real source to turn out to be a nest in a roof or wall. Be sure before you do anything permanent, and ask the technician what they see.

Wasps on fruit are also less interested in people than wasps at a nest, but they still sting if squashed or swatted, so move slowly and keep your hands clear.

Booking the treatment

For each nest, Wasp Exterminator Kent asks a fixed £120 and guarantees one visit. If a second nest turns up on the property, it is £60 for the additional one. No call-out charge is made, and the price does not change with where the nest is or what time the visit takes place. Technicians are fully insured and qualified.

Domestic and commercial customers are welcome seven days a week, with same-day service, evening and weekend appointments. The number to ring is 01622 410 019, and the contact page has a booking form as well.

Explain what you have seen: whether wasps are on the fruit, going into a hole or both. Raise the question of taking the empty nest down when you book.

Mention fruit trees when you book, since the technician may check the garden for a second nest while there. A second nest on the same property is priced separately, as noted above.

Frequently asked questions

More wasp advice for Goodnestone