Wasp Nests Under Roof Tiles – A Common Problem for Istead Rise Homes
Gardens, trampolines and paddling pools tend to be placed near the house. If a nest sits above them, here is how to keep children safe until the technician comes.
A garden and a nest in the same corner
Family gardens are built around the house: the patio outside the back door, the play area on the lawn beside the wall, the trampoline tucked next to the side gate. When a wasp nest takes hold under the tiles above one of these, the games carry on unaware.
Children are curious, and wasps in a stream make an irresistible show. The risk is not that wasps hunt children; it is that a child will run, shout or throw something near a nest that reacts to vibration and sudden movement.
Istead Rise families in this position need a simple plan, and the sooner it is in place the better.
Summer holidays make the problem more pressing. Children are out of school, in and out of the garden all day, and a nest at its peak in August is exactly when they are most likely to be there.
Setting a clear boundary
Work out where the wasps travel and mark an area to keep clear. From a distance, look at the roof and note where the wasps enter and which way they leave. The ground below the entry, and the lines out from it, are the places to avoid.
- Move toys, bikes, paddling pools and garden furniture well away from the wall below the nest.
- Use a gate, a row of chairs or even a length of garden rope to show the limit.
- Keep the washing line and sun loungers out of the wasps' route.
- Tell any visiting children as well, as they will not know what you know.
Explain calmly why. Children cope better when they are given a reason and a rule than when they are simply told off.
If you have an inflatable pool or a sandpit, it is worth thinking about the wasps' appetite for water as well as sugar. A shallow pool close to the nest attracts workers collecting water for the colony, and that increases the number of wasps around the children.
What to teach about wasps
A short, calm rule is easier for a child to follow than a long lecture. Wasps do not usually sting without cause. They sting when frightened or when something threatens the nest. Running, flapping and screaming makes things worse, and standing still and walking slowly away is better.
Make it clear that nobody throws things at the roof, taps the wall or pokes anything into a hole. Older children, in particular, can be tempted to try. Let them watch from an upstairs window instead, if they are curious, so long as it is shut.
Keep sweet drinks and ice lollies indoors or covered. Wasps are drawn to sugar, and a sticky hand or open can will bring them from the nest.
Tell grandparents and neighbours about the rules too. A well-meaning adult who lets a child fetch a ball from beside the wall can undo all the careful preparation.
If someone is stung
Even with good precautions, a sting can happen. Move the child away from the area first, calmly and without fuss. Wash the sting site, take the sting out if you can see it, and put a cold pack on the skin.
Watch for signs of a serious reaction. Swelling of the face, lips or throat, a wheeze or trouble breathing, dizziness or a widespread rash call for 999 straight away. Anyone known to have an allergy should speak to their GP, and the household should say so when booking so the visit can be prioritised.
A child who has been stung is likely to be frightened. Reassure them, and avoid blaming anyone for what happened.
Why you should not deal with the nest yourself
A parent's instinct is to put matters right. But a ladder with a child watching below, and a nest of thousands overhead, is not a place to be heroic. A fall or a swarm would be far worse than the wait.
Blocking the hole also tends to backfire. Wasps shut in a roof look for another exit, and if that exit is a bedroom ceiling above a child's bed, the whole house is affected.
Instead, leave the roof as it is. Ring the office, describe the position of the nest and the play area below it, and keep the family out of the affected part of the garden until the nest has been dealt with.
If you are tempted to let an older child help, resist. Pest control is not a task for young helpers, and the best help they can give is to keep clear and keep younger ones away.
Booking and what to tell the children afterwards
The cost of a nest treatment is a fixed £120 per nest, and no charge is made for coming out to you. A second nest on the same property adds £60 extra. Evening and weekend appointments are available, which can help families who are out at work or school during the day. One visit is guaranteed, in the words of the price graphic.
You can book by phoning 01622 410 019, or by using the online form, which also takes emergency requests outside office hours. The business works seven days a week and has same-day service. The technician is fully insured and qualified, and the treatment is safe and effective.
After the visit, tell the children the nest is gone but that a few wasps may still turn up for a little while. They should still keep away from the wall until you say otherwise. Then arrange for the roof gap to be repaired.
Keep older children informed about the booking date, so that nobody wanders into the garden with a football just as the technician arrives.
Wasps on your property in Istead Rise?
Fixed price £120 per nest, no call-out charge, same-day service available.