Why Are Wasps Flying Into Your Hardres Home? Common Causes and Solutions
The roof edge is a favourite nest site and a hard place to inspect, so binoculars, patience and a clear view from the ground are the best tools.
Why the eaves
The gap where the roof overhangs the wall is warm in the sun, dry in the rain and out of reach. A queen can slip behind a fascia board or into a soffit vent and begin building in complete shelter. From the ground, you may see nothing but a few wasps coming and going.
For a home in Hardres or anywhere else, that coming and going is the clue you need. With a little patience, you can learn a great deal without going near the nest.
A roofline also hides the work of other animals. Birds nest in the same gaps, and bats can roost in them, so a hole does not always mean wasps. Look for the characteristic quick flight of the wasp, and for the fact that the insects go in and out in numbers.
What you need
Very little equipment is required:
- A pair of binoculars, or a phone with a good zoom.
- A chair or a spot well back from the wall, at least several metres away.
- A notebook or phone to record what you see.
- A watch to time the observation.
- Somewhere shaded to sit, so you can watch for ten or fifteen minutes.
Dress in long sleeves and closed shoes, and tell the others in the household what you are doing.
If your garden is overlooked by a neighbour's window or a nearby field, think about where the best view is. A seat by the far fence, with the sun behind you, usually gives a good angle on the roof edge. Avoid looking directly into the sun with binoculars.
Choose a time when the wasps are most active, which is usually the warmest part of the afternoon. Early in the morning or in the cool of the evening, there may be little movement and you could be misled into thinking the gap is empty.
How to watch
Pick a warm, calm part of the day. Sit well back and let the binoculars scan slowly along the roof edge. Pause at each gap and each joint in the boards. You are looking for a small, steady line of wasps going into the same place.
Count the wasps entering in a minute, then rest. Repeat three times. A busy entrance might see several wasps every minute. A quiet gap might see none. Compare different parts of the roof to find the busiest.
Rest your elbows on your knees or a table to steady the binoculars. A slight tremor makes a distant gap hard to follow. Take your time, and look away now and then to rest your eyes.
A worked example may help. Imagine you sit for ten minutes at the end of the lawn. For the first three, nothing happens. In the fourth, a wasp lands on the fascia at the left-hand corner and slips in. Two minutes later another arrives, then two leave together. By the end you have counted nine movements at that corner and none elsewhere. That is a clear result, and you can say so to the technician: left-hand corner as seen from the garden, near the top of the gable.
Reading the result
If you see a regular line of traffic at one point, a nest is very likely behind it. Note the position as accurately as you can: which side of the house, near which window or corner, and roughly how high. The technician can then work out the best approach.
If you see no consistent traffic, the wasps indoors may be coming from elsewhere, such as a chimney, a wall or the garden. Try watching the other sides of the house, or a hedge or outbuilding. Remember that nests start from late April, depending on the weather, and keep growing until August.
There is another point to bear in mind. A nest at the eaves is often one of several signs, and a second entrance may exist at the other end of the board. Report anything you see, and let the technician decide.
Safety while you watch
Never approach the wall. If wasps start to fly towards you, walk away calmly. Do not wave your arms. Keep children and pets indoors while you work. Wash the sting site, remove the sting if you can see it and use a cold pack. Signs of a severe reaction, such as swelling of the face, lips or throat, wheezing, difficulty breathing, dizziness or a spreading rash, mean you should call 999. Anyone with a known allergy should see their GP for advice.
If you cannot see clearly from the garden, a neighbour's garden or the road may offer a better view, but do not stand under the roof or block the pavement. Ask permission before going on to anyone else's land, and tell them why. A nest on a shared boundary wall may belong to both properties.
After you have watched
Pass what you saw to Wasp Exterminator Kent when you book. Treatment of a nest is a fixed £120 per nest, with one visit guaranteed, and an extra nest at the same property is £60 each. There is no call-out charge, and no extra for location or the time of day. The technicians are fully insured and qualified, and they work for domestic and commercial customers every day of the week, with same-day service on offer.
Ring 01622 410 019 or send an enquiry through the contact page form. If anyone at home is allergic to stings, say so, so that the booking can be prioritised.
Make sure the area below the roofline is clear. Move bins, garden furniture and children's toys away from the wall, and keep a path for the ladder.
If the roof is high or the building has several storeys, mention it when you book, along with any hazards such as overhead cables, a conservatory roof or a narrow passage. It helps the technician bring the right equipment and plan the visit.
Wasps on your property in Hardres?
Fixed price £120 per nest, no call-out charge, same-day service available.