How to Tell If You Have an Active Wasp Nest on Your St Mary's Island Property
Glass is the best barrier between you and a wasp colony, and a window with a clear view of the roofline or wall can tell you most of what you need to know.
A viewing gallery you already own
Most people who suspect a nest feel they must go outside and stare at it. In fact, you often get a better and safer view from inside, through a closed window. Glass stops stings, keeps your presence quiet and lets you watch for as long as you like.
Windows upstairs are especially useful, since they look across eaves and roofs. A conservatory is another good spot, but with caution, because wasps are drawn to bright glass.
This guide is for properties on St Mary's Island, near Chatham, though it applies to any building with windows.
It also protects your nerves. Many people find the sight of dozens of wasps outside unsettling, but through a window the scene is just a view. You can take your time, take notes and decide what to do without anyone feeling at risk.
Choosing your window
Pick the window that looks most directly at the place you saw wasps. Close it fully, and draw any net curtains aside so you have a clear line. Switch off the lights in the room if it is dim outside, which reduces glare and keeps wasps from being attracted to the glass.
- Choose an upstairs window for the roofline and eaves
- Choose a kitchen or side window for a wall or fence
- Avoid a window that is already open or has a damaged seal
- Keep children and pets out of the room while you watch
Sit back from the pane so your face is not pressed against it. A chair a metre or so away is ideal.
If you rent a flat or share a building, the view from your window may be the only one you have. Note which direction the window faces, and tell the technician. It helps them match what you saw with what they find on the outside.
What to look for through the glass
With a clear view, spend a few minutes taking in the scene. You are checking for the same signs as outdoors, but with the advantage of being well protected.
Watch for wasps entering and leaving a gap in the eaves, the soffit, a fascia board or a crack in brickwork. Look at how many appear at once, and whether they follow the same route each time.
Binoculars or the zoom on a phone camera will help you see small details, such as dark staining around a hole or wasps resting at the lip before going in.
Time your sessions for a warm part of the day. Wasps are slow in the cool and the shade, and a nest that seems quiet in the early morning may be much busier by the afternoon. Two sessions, a few hours apart, give a fair picture.
If you spot a grey, papery shape, perhaps tucked under an overhang or partly visible through a gap, note exactly where it is. Do not try to measure it or get a closer look from a ladder.
Wasps at the glass itself
Sometimes the wasps come to you. A few crawling or buzzing against the inside of a window are normally wasps that entered the building and want to get back out. Several, appearing day after day, suggest a route into the building from a nest in the roof or wall.
Do not open the window to let them out if there are many, and do not swat them. Close the door of the room, and let them settle. A gentle approach with a glass and a card is an option for a single wasp, but not if there are several or you feel uneasy.
Note where they are coming from: a gap along the frame, a vent, a ceiling edge. That tells the technician where to look.
If you see wasps inside the house but none outside, tell the technician. It can mean that the nest is within the building structure, with the exit leading inwards, which changes where they need to look.
Conservatories and glazed roofs
A conservatory can be a problem. The warmth and light attract wasps, and a nest may be tucked into the frame or the join with the main wall. Look along the ridge, the gutter and the point where the glazing meets brick.
If you can see wasps going into the join, do not try to seal it with sealant or tape. That will leave wasps inside the structure with nowhere to go but into the room.
Keep the conservatory door shut and avoid using the space until the nest has been treated.
Roof lights and skylights can also attract wasps in the same way, and the gap round the frame is a possible entrance. The best response is to keep the room clear and watch the outside edge from below.
Moving on to treatment
Wasp Exterminator Kent treats nests for a fixed £120 each, with one visit guaranteed. If a second nest is found at the same property, it is £60 extra. There is no call-out charge, and the price does not change for location or time of day.
The business is open seven days a week, with same-day service offered for both domestic and commercial customers, and the technicians are fully insured and qualified. Call 01622 410 019 or use the contact page form.
Mention which window gave you the best view, and send a photo if you took one. If anyone at home is allergic to wasp stings, say so when booking.
Evening and weekend appointments are available if you work during the day, and the online form can be used for emergency service outside normal office hours. It is sensible to leave windows closed and curtains open on the day so the technician can see where you noticed activity.
Wasps on your property in St Mary's Island?
Fixed price £120 per nest, no call-out charge, same-day service available.