When Is Wasp Season in Snave?
Digging, picking and watering take you close to hedges, compost heaps and bare soil, which is exactly where wasps nest, so the growing year and the wasp year need to be read together.
Two calendars on one plot
Anyone who grows their own food works to two calendars: the sowing and harvesting year, and the wasp year. The two overlap in ways that matter for safety. The busiest time for picking, from midsummer through September, is also the time of the biggest wasp colonies.
Nests are started from late April, depending on the weather, in holes in the ground, in hedges, trees and bushes and in the gaps of sheds and walls. A veg patch has all of these. The colony peaks in August, and in late summer wasps turn their attention to sweet food and drink, which means ripe fruit.
For a grower in Snave, the aim is to work out the places where the two calendars collide and plan around them.
Spring: sowing and the first look
April and May are busy with digging, sowing and planting, and also the best time to catch a nest early. You will be crouching close to the soil, edges and hedges, so you are in a good position to see small holes and flight paths.
While you work, keep an eye out for:
- Small holes at the edge of beds, paths or under rhubarb leaves.
- A wasp flying low and landing repeatedly in the same place.
- Activity at the base of a compost bin or beside a shed.
- Gaps in the boundary fence or hedge.
If you spot anything, mark it with a stake from a distance and stop work in that area. Spring is the time when a nest is easiest to deal with. Do not dig, fork over or pour anything down the hole.
Take your time over compost heaps and wooden bins. They offer warmth, shelter and gaps, and a nest at the base of a heap can go unnoticed because everyone stays upwind of the smell. Look at the sides and underneath when you turn the heap.
Wear sturdy footwear and gloves while you work, even on a hot day. Sandals and bare hands leave you exposed if you accidentally step on or brush past an entrance, and a little protection gives you time to back away.
Summer: hoeing, weeding and watering
By June and July, weeds are growing, and jobs like hoeing, strimming and watering take you into corners you may not have visited for a while. A ground nest under long grass or beneath a clump of weeds is the classic surprise.
Before you start on any overgrown patch, pause and watch it for a minute. A steady flight of wasps in and out of one spot means stop and walk away. Do not return to the job until a technician has dealt with the nest.
Water is another draw. Wasps need water, and a dripping tap, a butt or a puddle on a hot day may be busy. Notice where they go and whether they fly away in a consistent direction. That direction is a clue to the nest.
Keep tools tidy. A fork left in a patch of bare soil or a barrow upturned in a corner can cover a nest entrance or create a new one. Check under things before you move them.
August and September: harvest time
At the August peak, a nest can hold from 2,000 to 10,000 or more wasps, and ripe fruit is a favourite. Plums, pears, apples, grapes and soft fruit that have split or fallen are all attractive.
- Pick fruit promptly, and avoid leaving overripe fruit on the plant.
- Clear windfalls daily, and cover the compost.
- Check fruit in your basket or bucket before you handle it.
- Wear gloves when picking from dense bushes.
- Keep drinks covered while you work.
Stay calm if a wasp lands on you, and move slowly away. Do not go near a nest that is in use, since wasps will swarm and sting if they sense a threat.
If the family helps with the harvest, give children a basic rule: look before you grab. A wasp inside a plum is a good reason for a quick, careful check.
Autumn: clearing the plot
When the harvest is over and the beds are cleared, you can see the plot afresh. Old nest sites often become visible, and holes in banks and beds are easier to see on bare soil.
Make a note of where they are. Autumn clearance, such as cutting back raspberry canes and clearing out the compost, is best done before the soil is cold, but only once you are sure that no nest is still active. An active nest in autumn is still a hazard.
If you are not sure, watch from a distance on a mild afternoon and see if there are any wasps coming and going. Describe what you see and the team can advise.
If you share the site with other growers, pass the word. A nest on one plot is a hazard for everyone on the path beside it, and a note on a gate or a message to the group can prevent someone walking into it.
Getting a nest on the plot treated
Wasp Exterminator Kent treats nests in the ground, hedges, buildings and trees for a fixed £120 each, with one visit guaranteed, and £60 for any further nest at the same property. There is no call-out charge, and the price is not affected by where the nest is or when you call.
The business is open seven days a week with same-day service, plus evening and weekend appointments for those who work during the day. Fully insured and qualified technicians treat domestic and commercial sites. A call to 01622 410 019 will get you booked in, and so will the form on the contact page. If you rent a plot, check your agreement about who arranges treatments, as that depends on the terms.
Wasps on your property in Snave?
Fixed price £120 per nest, no call-out charge, same-day service available.