Wasp Nest in a Hedge or Bush – What Stubbs Cross Garden Owners Should Know
One busy hedge can hide two or three separate nests, and finding them together is better than treating one and discovering another next week.
Why there may be more than one
A wasp colony starts with a single nest, but a hedge or boundary planting that suits one colony will often suit another. In spring, when new nests are being started from late April, several wasps may choose different spots along the same stretch of cover. By August each one may hold from 2,000 to 10,000 wasps or more, and the traffic from all of them blends into a general sense of too many wasps.
That is why a garden with lots of hedge, shrub and tree cover may contain two or three nests without anyone realising. The first one you find draws all your attention, and it can be easy to miss the second.
Late in the season, with the colonies at their biggest, there can be wasps everywhere, and it becomes hard to tell the paths apart. If you are not sure how many nests there are, do not wait. Book the visit and let the technician sort it out on site.
Separating one flight path from another
To tell whether you have one nest or more, watch the traffic from a good distance.
- Choose a fixed vantage point, such as a window or the patio, and look at the whole hedge.
- Note each place where wasps go in and out. Mark them with a letter on a sketch.
- Watch each spot for a minute at a time. Wasps going in and coming out at two separate places indicates two entrances.
- Check whether the spots are far apart or just a metre or two. Close ones may be the same nest with two doors.
- Look at the base of the hedge, too. A ground nest and a hedge nest can sit side by side.
You are not expected to be certain. Give the technician your sketch and let them decide.
A hedge line that has held a nest before is a favourite site, so it is worth being a little more watchful there. Walk it each week from late April through the summer, and write down any activity you notice. With a notebook, you will quickly see whether the flight paths are changing or whether a new one has begun.
If you are unsure whether the activity you see is wasps or something else, such as bees visiting the hedge flowers, say so. We treat wasps only, and for honeybees or bumblebees you should contact a local beekeeper or the relevant bee organisation.
Two nests, one visit
Treating two or more nests in one visit is more efficient than booking twice. At Wasp Exterminator Kent the first nest is £120 per nest, and each additional nest on the same property is £60 extra. There is no call-out charge, so adding a second nest to the visit costs just that £60 extra.
For that reason, tell us everything you have seen when you book. If you think there might be a second nest but are not sure, say so, and the technician can check while on site. Do not hold back for fear of the extra, which is low and fixed.
Many people worry that a second nest means the first treatment did not work. It does not. Nests are separate colonies, started by different wasps, and one has no bearing on the other. A second, third or fourth nest found nearby is a feature of the site, not a failing of the work done on the first.
Staying safe with more than one
Several nests mean a larger area to avoid. Treat the whole hedge as off limits until the technician has finished: no trimming, no watering, no leaning on it. Keep children and pets away from the whole length, not just from the spot you have found.
If you must use a path that runs beside the hedge, choose another route if you can, or use it quickly and calmly. Do not carry sweet drinks or food along it.
If someone is stung, wash the sting, remove it if visible and use a cold pack. Ring 999 at once if anyone develops swelling of the face, lips or throat, a widespread rash or wheezing or difficulty breathing.
Where a boundary hedge is shared, a second nest may be in the neighbour's half. Talk to them early and arrange for the visit to cover both sides if that is practical. Two households booking at once is simpler than two separate visits.
Booking
A fully insured, qualified technician will carry out the work safely and effectively, with one visit guaranteed as shown on the price graphic. We cover Stubbs Cross and the surrounding villages, domestic and commercial, seven days a week, with same-day service and evening and weekend appointments.
The booking line is 01622 410 019, or book online through the contact page, including for emergency requests outside normal hours. Say if anybody at home is allergic to stings so the booking can be prioritised.
If you manage several properties along the same hedge or a row of units, tell us at booking. Each nest on the same property is £60 after the first, and the technician can tell you how best to arrange the visit for the full length of the hedge.
One practical point: when several nests are treated on one visit, allow the technician space and do not hover. Stay indoors with the windows closed, and keep your phone handy. When the visit is over, ask for a clear summary of how many nests were found and where, so you know exactly what has been done.
Checking again
After treatment, ask the technician to confirm that all nests have been dealt with. Keep an eye on the hedge for a few days. If a new flight path appears, tell us. Next spring, check each stretch of the hedge from late April. A hedge that has held more than one nest is worth watching more often than most.
Wasps on your property in Stubbs Cross?
Fixed price £120 per nest, no call-out charge, same-day service available.