How Long Does Professional Wasp Nest Treatment Take in Paddock Wood?
Old boundary and retaining walls have plenty of gaps for wasps; this guide covers how treatment goes for a wall nest and how long the stones stay busy afterwards.
Walls are quiet places to build
A garden wall looks solid, but most have gaps: a missing bit of pointing, a crack between stones, a hole where a pipe once passed through. A wasp looking for shelter in spring finds these gaps appealing, and by midsummer the wall has a busy entrance and a nest tucked into the hollow behind it.
The pattern of treatment is much like any other nest. The visit is usually short, and the colony quietens over a day or two. What is different is that a wall nest is often close to where people sit, walk or play, and the wall can hide the full size of the nest from view.
Pricing is fixed at £120 per nest with no call-out charge, and the graphic promises one visit guaranteed. A household in Paddock Wood, in Kent, with a wasp-filled gap in the wall by the patio is the example.
A nest can hold two thousand to ten thousand or more wasps at the August peak, and a wall hides most of them from view. That is why the entrance looks smaller than the problem it leads to.
Reading the wall from a distance
You can tell a good deal without touching anything. A steady line of wasps in and out of one gap is the main sign. A faint dry rustling if you put an ear near the wall in the evening suggests a larger nest, though you should not put your ear close to it. Staining or crumbs of grey paper on the ground below the gap are other clues.
When you ring, tell the business: - Whether the wall is on your boundary or is a retaining wall holding up a bank - How high the entrance is and which side faces the garden - Whether a bench, play equipment or a path is within a few metres - Whether anyone at home is allergic to stings
The number is 01622 410 019, and the form is at /contact-us/.
Paddock Wood gardeners who are tempted to deal with a small gap with a spray or a hose should resist. It rarely deals with the nest behind it and nearly always makes the wasps angry.
What happens at the visit
The technician locates the gap, treats the nest and leaves you with instructions. Because the nest is hidden within the wall, there is nothing to see being taken away, and no need for you to arrange for the wall to be opened. You will be asked to keep everyone away from that stretch of garden while the work is done.
Do not try to widen the gap or poke into it to see how deep it goes. A damaged wall is not the technician’s job to repair, and a nest disturbed from outside is not a pleasant surprise.
If the wall is shared with a neighbour, let them know that the visit is happening. An additional nest on the same property is £60 each, and a second gap on the same wall that leads to the same nest is not a second nest.
The first hours and the days after
Wasps that were away at the time return to a wall that looks the same but has changed inside. They land on the stones, crawl about and fly off again. Expect that for some hours, and keep well away from the wall until the next day.
Do not fill the gap with mortar, foam or stones on the same day. If wasps are still using it, you may force them to find another way out, perhaps through a different gap on your side. Wait until you have seen a clear day without traffic.
Activity at a wall nest usually fades over a day or two. Warm sunshine on stonework can keep a few stragglers moving for longer than you might expect.
Think about drainage and the bank behind a retaining wall as well. Wasps sometimes use a gap near a weep hole, and it is tempting to look inside with a torch. Please do not. Light and breath at close range are enough to bring defenders to the entrance, and that is how many stings happen. If you want to help the technician, mark the spot from a distance by describing it in terms of the nearest feature, such as the third course of stones above the gatepost.
Repairing the wall afterwards
When the wall has been quiet for a full day or more, a repair to the pointing or a replacement stone closes the opening. That is a job for a builder or a keen DIYer, and it is the best way to discourage another nest next spring.
When you book, ask if the empty nest can be removed afterwards. For a wall nest the answer depends on where it sits.
If a steady line of wasps remains after a day or two, contact the business via the contact page and say which wall and where. That is the situation the words one visit guaranteed on the price graphic are there for.
When the repair day comes, wear gloves, stand to the side of the gap, not in front of it, and work in the cool of the morning. Keep the quantity of any filler small at first so you can stop if you see a wasp.
Keeping the patio usable
While you wait for the visit, a nest in a wall by the patio makes outdoor meals unpleasant. Move the table to the far side of the garden or indoors, keep food covered, and do not leave sweet drinks standing on the wall itself.
If children play near the wall, set a clear boundary with them: nobody goes within a few metres of that stretch of stonework until it has been dealt with. Explain that the wasps live in there and do not like being disturbed.
For a sting, wash the area, take out the sting if you can see it and apply a cold pack. Call 999 for swelling of the face, lips or throat, wheeze or difficulty breathing, dizziness or a widespread rash.
Wasps on your property in Paddock Wood?
Fixed price £120 per nest, no call-out charge, same-day service available.