Why Are Wasps Flying Into Your Lamberhurst Home? Common Causes and Solutions
Not every nest is up in the roof. Ground nests near paths, log stores and flower beds can send a stream of wasps towards the house and are easy to stumble on.
A nest at your feet
When people think of a wasp nest, they picture a grey ball hanging under the eaves. Many colonies are in fact underground. A queen takes over an abandoned burrow or a hollow beneath a log pile, and the colony expands below the surface where nobody can see it. All that shows is a small hole with wasps flying in and out.
That is why a ground nest near the house is so awkward. It sits beside a path, a patio edge or a flower bed, and the traffic it generates passes straight over the places where you walk, play and eat. Wasps then find their way into the home through the nearest open door.
If you live in Lamberhurst and have noticed wasps low to the ground and heading towards your back door, a nest at ground level is a real possibility.
Rural plots add to the chance. Banks beside a lane, mole hills, old rabbit burrows and the edges of ploughed or planted ground are all places a queen may settle. A garden that backs on to open land is not at greater fault for this, but it is a reminder that a nest can be anywhere, so keep your eyes open when you walk about.
What to look for
A ground nest gives itself away through behaviour rather than appearance. Look, from a distance, for:
- A round hole, often the size of a coin or a little larger, with loose soil round the rim.
- Wasps landing, walking into the hole and flying out again at short intervals.
- A thin, low flight line that keeps to the same route every time.
- Activity that rises through the morning and builds towards the afternoon.
- A patch of lawn, bank or border where wasps seem to gather.
In late summer the entrance may widen as the colony grows. Mowers, strimmers and boots passing close by are the most common causes of stings, so make a note of where the hole is.
Log piles, compost and stored materials
Wasps are also fond of sheltered spots above ground. A woodpile stacked against a wall, a heap of old sacks, a compost bin with loose soil beneath it and a pile of paving stones can each hide a nest. They are warm, dry and quiet.
When you fetch logs for a stove, shake nothing and move slowly. If a wasp or two emerge, put the log down and walk away. Do not stir the pile to see how many there are. If wasps are using the stack, do not use it until the colony has been dealt with.
It helps to look at the base of any pile of materials before you move it. Lift nothing that is hard to put down again. If you need the logs for the fire, bring in a small amount from the top and stand well back. Disturbance from stacking and unstacking is a frequent cause of garden stings.
Getting the household around it
While you wait for a visit, change how you use the garden. Walk a different way to the shed, bins or washing line, and keep at least a few metres from the hole. Do not mow close to it or run noisy machinery nearby, since vibration alarms the colony.
Keep children and pets away. Mark the area with a stick or a chair if that helps, but do so without leaning in. Keep doors closed on the side of the house facing the nest, and cover food and drink. Do not pour anything into the hole or stuff it with soil, and do not try to fill it. Wasps will dig out another way, and the colony will be disturbed.
There is one more thing worth doing, which is to tell neighbours who share the boundary or walk past the spot. A path along a fence, a gate that opens near the hole or a washing line close by can all put others at risk. A quick word means fewer surprises.
First aid and allergies
If someone is stung, move away at once, since stings from a ground nest often come in several at a time. Rinse the area, take out the sting if you can see one and cool it with a cold pack. A serious allergic reaction shows as swelling of the face, lips or throat, wheezing, trouble breathing, dizziness or a widespread rash, and that means a 999 call without delay. If anyone in the family has a known allergy, they should have spoken to their GP about what to do, and you should mention it when booking.
People sometimes tread on a ground nest in the dusk or the dark, which is a common cause of multiple stings. Use a torch in the garden in the evening, and keep to paved paths until the nest has been dealt with.
Arranging treatment
Wasp Exterminator Kent treats nests in the ground as well as in buildings, trees and bushes. The price is fixed at £120 per nest, and the graphic promises one visit guaranteed. A nest beyond the first on the same site is £60 extra. There is no call-out charge, nothing hidden and no extra for where you live or when you book. Technicians are fully insured and qualified, and they work every day of the week for domestic and commercial customers, with same-day service on offer.
Telephone 01622 410 019 or use the online form on the contact page. Point out the position of the hole in the garden when you book, and ask whether the empty nest can be dealt with once it has been treated.
Wasps on your property in Lamberhurst?
Fixed price £120 per nest, no call-out charge, same-day service available.