Wasp Nests Under Roof Tiles – A Common Problem for Halling Homes
A short, patient watch from the ground will usually reveal where wasps enter a roof. Here is a simple method for working it out safely and describing it clearly.
Why a watch is worth the effort
Roof nests give very little away. Nothing shows from the road, no smell reaches the house, and the tiles look normal. What you do get is an unusual amount of wasp activity at a particular height, and that is a lead worth following.
A careful half hour of looking can turn a vague complaint into a clear instruction. Instead of saying that wasps are all over the roof, you can say they are going in under the third course of tiles on the left of the gable. That helps the technician plan.
Halling, in the Medway Valley, has plenty of gardens and open fronts that make a safe viewing point easy to find.
Treat the exercise like birdwatching. The patience is the main skill, and the equipment is almost irrelevant. You are not trying to disturb anything, only to learn a pattern.
Setting up a safe viewing spot
Choose somewhere at least a few metres from the building, with the sun behind you if possible, so the roof is lit. A garden chair, a front step or a spot across the road is ideal. Take a drink, a phone and binoculars if you own a pair.
- Go on a warm, bright day, when wasps are flying freely.
- Stay out of the line between the entry point and the open sky, since that is where the wasps fly.
- Wear plain, light-coloured clothes and avoid scent such as perfume or aftershave.
- Leave children and pets inside, and tell the household what you are doing.
If a wasp lands on you, stay calm and let it move on, rather than flapping at it. Walk away slowly if you feel unsure.
A flask of tea and a folding chair turn the job into something pleasant rather than tense, and a relaxed observer is less likely to startle wasps than a nervous one.
What to look for and note down
Start with the whole roof, then narrow in. Wasps heading out generally rise and travel in a fairly consistent direction, while those returning arrive low and enter without hesitation. Once you have spotted the place where both streams meet, you have found the entrance.
Write down a few details, or snap a photograph of the roof with the spot marked in your mind. Useful points are the side of the house, the position along the roofline, the approximate height, and whether the wasps go in under a tile, behind a board or into a gap beside a chimney.
Count roughly how many wasps pass in a short space of time. You do not need an exact figure, only a sense of whether it is a trickle or a steady stream.
Try a second watch at a different time of day if you can. A nest that looks calm at ten in the morning may be extremely busy by two in the afternoon, and a second look can show whether the traffic is one-way or in both directions. The more of the picture you have, the better.
What the watch cannot tell you
Observation will show the entrance, but not the nest itself. The nest may be a long way along from the opening, inside the roof void, and the wasps may travel through a narrow tunnel. That is why the technician makes the final call on where to work.
Be wary of a quiet spell. A pause at the entrance on a cold or wet day does not mean the colony has gone. It is simply sheltering, and activity will pick up again when the weather improves.
If you see two separate entrances far apart, mention both. A second nest on the same property is charged at £60 extra, but one entrance can feed a large nest, so there may only be one.
If you find the nest has several possible entrances, do not worry about picking the right one. Note them all, and the technician will work out which is the main route.
Staying away from the entrance afterwards
Having done your watch, resist the urge to take a last close look. The temptation to check the hole at the end of the day is strong, but the wasps are returning to the nest then and they are numerous.
Do not try to block, spray or wash the entrance. A blocked gap pushes the colony to look for a new exit, which may be inside the house. Close windows on that side of the building and keep the nearest door shut.
Anyone who is stung should wash the spot, remove the sting if visible and use a cold pack. Swelling of the face, lips or throat, difficulty breathing, dizziness or a widespread rash need a 999 call.
Your notes need not be tidy. A line on a phone, with a photograph, is more than most callers can offer. The technician will find the rest.
Booking and what to expect
The cost is a fixed £120 per nest, with no call-out charge and no extra for working at height. The graphic on the price list says one visit is guaranteed. The technician is fully insured and qualified, and the work covers both homes and businesses.
The office is open seven days a week with same-day service, and evening and weekend appointments are possible. Call 01622 410 019 or send the online form, including your notes on the flight path.
After the treatment you may notice a few wasps hanging around the old entry for a short time. The technician can tell you whether the empty nest can come down, so ask at the time of booking.
There is no need to wait for the wasps to reach a particular number before you call. The nest only grows from here, and the price is the same whenever it is booked.
Wasps on your property in Halling?
Fixed price £120 per nest, no call-out charge, same-day service available.