Wasp Nest in a Hedge or Bush – What Hurst Garden Owners Should Know
The nest is treated, the technician has gone, and you are wondering when it is safe to pick up the trimmer, so here is how to ease back.
The visit is over, now what
Once the technician has treated the nest, the hard part is done. The colony has been dealt with, and the risk of a sudden swarm has gone. But it is natural to feel cautious about going back to the hedge, and a little caution is sensible.
A few wasps will still be around for a while. Foragers that were away at the time return to a nest that no longer exists, and hover where it used to be. They are not defending anything, but they can be confused and irritable. The colony that peaks in August, with 2,000 to 10,000 wasps or more, does not vanish from the air in a minute.
If you have young children or pets, remind them that the all-clear is the technician's to give, not yours. A child who sees the van leave may think it is safe to go straight to the hedge. Wait for the word, and then walk them past it yourself.
Ask before you assume
The technician is your best source of advice. At the end of the visit, ask three things.
- When is it safe to approach the hedge?
- When can I trim or cut the area?
- Can the empty nest be taken down, or should it be left?
Their answer depends on the circumstances, and it is worth writing down. If you forgot to ask, ring and check before going near the spot.
Keep the technician's advice on a note by the back door, and share it with anyone else who helps with the garden. A gardener, a neighbour or a family member who does not know the situation can undo your care in a minute with a trimmer.
If you share the hedge with a neighbour, tell them what the technician said. It is common for neighbours to start cutting as soon as they see the van leave, and a quick word makes sure everyone waits for the same all-clear.
A gentle return
When you have the all-clear, take it in stages.
- Day one: stay out of the immediate area and watch from a distance.
- Next day or two: walk past the hedge at a normal distance and see whether any wasps are still around.
- After that: start with light jobs, such as watering or tidying the border at the far end.
- When you are ready to cut: use hand shears, take short sections and stop if any wasps appear.
Do not hurry. A hedge that has held a nest is no more dangerous than any other once the colony is gone, but there is no benefit in rushing.
If the nest was in a bush and the bush looks scruffy afterwards, resist the urge to prune it straight away. Give it a week or so, and a clear all-clear. A tidy garden can wait for a short while longer.
After a ground nest, the hole may still be open. Do not fill it in until the technician has said what to do. Once they have, you can level the soil, reseed the patch and mow again, taking the usual care.
Pay attention to how you feel, too. Some people find it unnerving to go back to a place where they were afraid. Take it gently, go out with someone else for the first couple of times and enjoy the garden again at your own pace.
What to expect around the old nest
You may see a few wasps flying in and out of the old entrance for a day or two. That is normal. If the numbers are steady, or seem to grow, ring us. It could mean a second nest nearby, which would add £60 extra for the second one.
Do not touch the nest if it is still in place. Leave it for the technician to advise on.
If you find wasps in the house in the days after the visit, they are most likely strays from the old flight path. Open a window and let them out. If the numbers keep up, ring us.
Some people feel they should check the old nest site daily. A look from a distance each morning for a few days is enough, and then it can go back to being part of the garden.
Keeping the garden comfortable
Cover food and drink outdoors, as wasps from nests elsewhere still look for sugar. Keep bins closed. Pick up windfall fruit. A garden with a nest gone is not immune to visiting wasps from further away, and the usual summer care still applies.
You may want to spend a little time over the next week or two deciding whether the hedge needs any changes. A very dense, dry hedge is a better home for wasps than a thinner one with air and light. Thinning it in winter, once the technician agrees, may be worth thinking about.
Next year and the booking details
From late April next year, look over the hedge each week from a distance. If you find another nest, a fully insured, qualified technician can treat it for a fixed £120 per nest, with no call-out charge. We cover Hurst and the surrounding area, domestic and commercial, seven days a week, with same-day service and evening and weekend appointments.
To book, ring 01622 410 019 or complete the form on our contact page. Let us know if anyone in the household is allergic, as it allows the booking to be prioritised.
You might also consider adding the hedge to a seasonal list of jobs. A quick check in late April, another in June and another in August is easy to remember, and takes a minute each time.
The same advice applies to a hedge that has not had a nest: look first, work in sections and stop at the first sign of trouble. A treated hedge simply makes you more aware of what a nest looks like, which is no bad thing.
If you rent the property, tell your landlord or agent that the nest has been treated, so that everyone has the same information. Whether the hedge is the tenant's job or the landlord's depends on the tenancy agreement.
Wasps on your property in Hurst?
Fixed price £120 per nest, no call-out charge, same-day service available.