Wasp Control for Kilndown Restaurants, Pubs and Commercial Premises
A country inn that serves lunch in its garden cannot send wasps a polite invitation to leave, so the answer is to find the nest and treat it before the next full sitting.
Lunch under the trees
A country inn with a garden is at its best on a warm day. Tables under a tree, jugs of lemonade, desserts coming out on a tray, and a family at every table. It is also the setting in which a wasp problem looks most obvious, since everyone sits still for long periods, and food and drink are left on tables for people to enjoy.
For an inn at Kilndown, the risk is not in the building but in the places around it: old trees, hedges, a stone wall, a woodpile, a bank beside the car park. Wasps nest wherever it is sheltered and quiet. A nest started in late April is a small thing in May, but by August the colony may hold 2,000 to 10,000 wasps or more, which is just when the garden is fullest.
Dining outdoors means the owner has to think about wasps as part of the service, not as a surprise.
Signs to watch for on a garden round
Walk the garden before the doors open, when the grass is cool and the wasps have not yet started their day. Visit the places that the customers will use.
- Look under table umbrellas, pergolas and gazebos for papery grey shapes.
- Check the old trees, hollow trunks and fallen branches.
- Look along the wall and fence lines for gaps where wasps are entering.
- Inspect planters, stone troughs and bank edges for holes in the soil.
- Keep an eye on the area around bins, glass bottle stores and the kitchen door.
A single wasp on a plate is normal in August. A constant stream to one place is not. If you see that, move tables away at once, mark the spot from a distance and call for treatment.
Do not forget the parts of the grounds that guests do not normally see. A compost heap, a pile of logs for the pizza oven, the cellar hatch and the bin shelter at the side are all places where a nest could be hiding. Staff who carry crates or barrels past these areas ought to look before they reach or lean.
Serving outdoors with wasps around
Cover dishes on the way to the table, and use lids or bottle stoppers for sweet drinks. Wait staff should carry desserts quickly, and clear plates straight away. Provide a covered bin for scraps by the door, away from the tables. Keep a few tables indoors for those who prefer them.
Do not try to deal with the nest yourself with an aerosol. Sprays are inappropriate around food and drink and do not remove the nest. A staff member perched on a stool by an old tree, spraying at a branch, is at risk of falling and stinging. It is better to restrict that corner of the garden and wait for a technician.
If a wasp lands on a diner, they should stay still or move away calmly. A relaxed table tends to be a safer one.
Winter brings a little relief, as nests are not reused, but a good sheltered spot may attract another colony the following spring. Make a note in the diary to check the same places from late April, so that you can act when a nest is no bigger than a cricket ball and the colony is still small.
What the visit involves
Wasp Exterminator Kent treats nests at inns, pubs, restaurants, shops and homes. Treatment is priced at a fixed £120 per nest, and it comes with one visit guaranteed, and each further nest on the property is £60 more. We do not add a call-out charge, and neither the place nor the time of day alters the price.
The business is open seven days a week and offer same-day service. Evening and weekend appointments are available, so a technician can work between lunch and dinner, or on a quiet weekday. You can expect a fully insured and qualified technician, and the method is safe and effective.
If the nest is in a tree or hedge, tell us roughly how high it is and whether the ground is level. When you book, ask whether the empty nest can be taken down afterwards.
Telling guests and protecting the booking diary
Inns often have big bookings: a wedding lunch, a wake, a birthday, a group of walkers. If a nest has been found, speak to the organiser well in advance. A friendly call, with a plan for the day, is far better than an awkward discussion in the garden.
Prepare a simple script for your reception and bar staff, and tell the kitchen as well. Do not say that wasps will not be a problem, because visiting wasps from other nests may still appear. Say that the nest has been treated and that tables are being laid out to keep guests comfortable.
If a guest has told you of an allergy to wasp stings, note where they are sitting and make sure a first aider knows. Anyone with a known allergy should follow their GP’s advice.
How to book
Before you call, jot down where the nest is, when the garden is empty, and who will meet the technician. Mention any allergy among staff or family when you book, so the visit can be prioritised.
The number to ring is 01622 410 019, and the contact page has an online form, and either route works for an urgent job outside office hours.
When the work is done, you can reopen the garden once the technician confirms it is fine. Keep up the clearing routine through September, when wasps are still active.
Staff in the kitchen should also know the position of the nest, as they often step outside for air or to move bins.
Wasps on your property in Kilndown?
Fixed price £120 per nest, no call-out charge, same-day service available.