Why Are Wasps Flying Into Your Lordswood Home? Common Causes and Solutions
Wet food, meaty scraps and sweet treats attract foraging wasps, and a few changes to feeding routines can keep both pets and people clear of stings.
Why the pet bowl is a magnet
Wasps hunt for protein as well as sugar, and a bowl of wet dog or cat food is a rich, easy source. Meaty smells carry a long way, and a wasp that finds the bowl by the back door will carry some away to the nest and come back for more. Each trip makes the next more likely.
Pets add to the picture. A dog that snaps at a wasp, or a cat that bats at one on the floor, may be stung on the nose, paw or tongue. Some animals eat the wasp, which can cause a sting in the mouth. Keeping bowls and wasps apart protects them too.
For a household in Lordswood with a pet that eats near the door, small changes at feeding time can break the cycle.
Cats that come and go through a flap deserve a mention. A flap that stays open, or a bowl placed just inside it, creates a direct line from the garden to the kitchen floor. If your cat eats near the flap, move the bowl to the middle of the room and wash up after each meal. Some households also find that a heavier, well-fitting flap keeps small visitors out.
Feeding routines that help
You do not need to stop feeding outdoors if that works for you, but timing and tidiness make a big difference:
- Put food down for a fixed spell, then lift the bowl as soon as the animal has finished.
- Wash bowls straight away, including the rim and the mat underneath.
- Feed indoors on warm days, well away from open doors.
- Store open tins and pouches in the fridge, with a cover.
- Wipe up drips and crumbs, as they dry on floors and leave a scent.
- Keep dried food in a closed container, not an open sack.
Water bowls are less of a draw than food, but sweetened or flavoured water is another matter. Offer plain water only.
Think about the timing as well as the place. Wasps are active through the warm part of the day, so a bowl left out at lunchtime attracts far more attention than one put down in the cool of early morning. Where you can, feed at the edges of the day and bring the bowl in straight afterwards.
Other animal attractions
Households with animals often have other things that interest wasps. Bird feeders with fat balls or sugary nectar are popular, and so are open compost bins, rabbit or guinea pig feed and the scraps under a hutch. Chicken runs can hold grain and fruit peelings. Move these away from the house, keep lids on and clear spills each day.
Pet treats are another culprit, particularly the sticky or meaty kind. Keep them in a tin rather than a loose bag. Make sure children know not to leave half-eaten food on the floor for the dog to find, as that often draws wasps as well.
Small animals kept in the garden need the same care. Hutches and runs smell of fruit, vegetables and seed mixes, and a damp corner can be warm and sheltered. Clean them regularly, store feed in tubs with tight lids, and look at the roof and walls of the hutch once in a while for any sign that wasps have taken an interest.
When the pet meets a wasp
If your animal is stung, stay calm. Try to prevent it from scratching or rubbing the area. Signs of trouble include swelling of the face or mouth, difficulty breathing, drooling, vomiting, collapse or distress. These need an urgent call to a vet. A vet can give advice on the right treatment, and we cannot.
For people in the household, wash a sting, remove the sting if you can see it and use a cold pack. Call 999 straight away for swelling of the face, lips or throat, wheezing or difficulty breathing, dizziness or a widespread rash. A person with a diagnosed allergy are best advised to see their GP.
Never encourage a dog to chase wasps. A dog drawn towards a nest may be stung many times.
Make sure everyone in the home knows what to do if an animal is stung or chases a wasp. A calm adult, a quiet room and a prompt phone call to the vet are better than any home remedy.
Is it the bowl, or a nest?
If wasps vanish when the bowl does, food was the cause. If wasps keep arriving at the door, the kitchen window or inside rooms where there are no animals, the bowl is not the whole story.
Look out for a line of wasps travelling to and from one point on the outside, a gap in the wall that is busy, or a buzzing noise from the ceiling. Nests begin in late April depending on the weather, and by August the colony may hold from 2,000 to 10,000 or more wasps. Keep your animals and children away from any suspected nest.
A useful comparison is to look at the weekend. If wasps still appear after a weekend when the bowl was washed and put away straight after every meal, the cause has to be elsewhere, and a hidden nest becomes the most likely explanation.
Arranging a visit
Wasp Exterminator Kent deals with wasp nests only. The treatment price is fixed at £120 for a nest, with one visit guaranteed, and an additional nest on the same property costs £60 each. No call-out charge applies, there are no hidden extras, and the price is the same whatever the location or time of day. The technicians are fully insured and qualified, and they work for domestic and commercial customers, seven days a week.
Ring 01622 410 019 or use the online form on the contact page. Same-day service is available. Please mention any allergies in the household, and let the technician know where your animals are kept so they can be kept clear of the work area.
Wasps on your property in Lordswood?
Fixed price £120 per nest, no call-out charge, same-day service available.