Do Wasps Return to the Same Nest Every Year? A Guide for Stonebridge Green Gardens
Beds and banks are loosely packed with hollows, roots and old burrows, and a queen can use any of them, so it pays to know where to look.
The hidden ground in a mature border
Established borders are wonderful for wildlife and for the gardener, but they are also full of cavities. Old roots rot away and leave tunnels. Mice and voles dig. Stones in a rockery leave gaps underneath, and a bank behind a retaining wall may hold a dozen small hollows.
In spring a queen explores these, and she may take over a ready-made space. She will build a small nest underground and expand it through the summer. In due course it becomes a colony of thousands, hidden beneath the plants.
If you had such a nest last year, it is empty now and will not be reused. But the cavity may still be there, and a new queen can adopt it just as easily.
Sunny, south-facing banks and rockeries are warmer in spring, and so are particularly attractive. Burrowing insects and small mammals favour them too, which means more ready-made holes for a queen to take over.
Where to look
Winter is a good time to examine a border because the foliage is down and the soil is bare. Look for:
- Round holes in the soil, particularly at the base of a bank or against a stone
- Gaps beneath rockery stones and between the layers of a dry wall
- Hollows at the base of shrubs and perennials
- Sunken or disturbed patches of earth
- Edges where the lawn meets the bed and the turf has pulled away
Make a sketch of the garden and mark each one. Note which are definitely empty and which you cannot tell.
Children’s play often takes place on exactly such sloping, informal areas, and so does dog exercise. It is worth including them in your walk round, even if they look like rough ground rather than borders.
Take a notebook and write down where the soil is bare, where roots have died back and where the ground feels hollow underfoot. It will take only a few minutes and will make your spring checks more purposeful.
Filling holes without disturbing a nest
In the cold months, when no wasps are flying, you can fill an empty hollow with soil and firm it down. If you are not sure whether it is empty, watch it for a few minutes on a mild day first. A hole with no traffic over several days in cold weather is very likely empty.
Do not use anything that is toxic to the garden or to pets, and do not pour liquids into holes. Soil is enough. Leave larger cavities, such as the spaces in rockeries, to be looked at in spring, and fill them only if you can do so without dismantling the structure.
A bed that has been planted densely can hide holes entirely. It is no bad thing to leave a clear border of bare soil along the edge.
If a hole seems to be much larger than a wasp entrance, it may belong to a different animal. Leave it alone and watch for a few days before deciding what to do.
Compost and topsoil spread over a bank can be handy for filling, but avoid heaping it over a hole you have not checked. Wasps can sometimes dig through loose soil, and you will simply create a surprise for yourself in summer.
Working in beds from April
Gardeners are most at risk in spring and early summer, when they are digging, weeding and planting. Look before you kneel. Check the area for traffic, and if you see a wasp going into the soil, step back.
- Never push a fork or trowel into a hole you cannot see the bottom of
- Do not weed or deadhead right next to a known entrance
- Warn anyone else who helps in the garden
- Keep a hose and any noisy machinery away from the spot
A nest that is noticed in May or June is easier to treat than one found in August.
A bed that has been left undisturbed for years is likelier to have a nest than one that is dug each season. If yours is the undisturbed type, make a point of watching it more closely.
A good habit is to scan the bed from the path before you step into it, looking for traffic at soil level, and then stepping where you have already seen bare ground.
If you disturb a nest by accident
Walk away steadily and do not flap. Cover your face if you can, and go indoors. Wash any stings with soap and water, remove a sting if you can see one and apply a cold pack. Call 999 for swelling of the face, lips or throat, wheezing, dizziness or a widespread rash. A person with a known allergy should speak to their GP.
Afterwards, mark the location and keep everyone away until the nest has been treated.
Bring a small first-aid kit to the garden if you work in beds during the summer, and keep a cold pack in the freezer ready for use.
Getting help
Our technicians treat nests in beds, banks and lawns in Stonebridge Green and the surrounding villages. A nest costs a fixed £120 per nest to treat, with an additional nest on the same property at £60 extra and no call-out charge. Our technicians are fully insured and qualified, and each job comes with one visit guaranteed.
Call us on 01622 410 019 or complete the form on the contact page at /contact-us/. We work seven days a week and offer same-day service, with evening and weekend appointments. If someone at home has a sting allergy, tell us when you book so that the visit can be prioritised.
Describe the position of the hole in relation to something fixed such as a path, a fence post or the corner of the house, so that the technician can go straight to it.
Wasps on your property in Stonebridge Green?
Fixed price £120 per nest, no call-out charge, same-day service available.