Wasp Nest in a Hedge or Bush – What Swalecliffe Garden Owners Should Know
The corner where a shed, a fence and a bush meet is quiet, warm and rarely visited, which is just what a wasp colony is looking for.
The forgotten corner
Every garden has one: a back corner where the shed meets the fence and a straggly bush has been left to grow. It is where the compost bin sits, where old pots are stacked and where the grass cuttings go. Nobody looks there from one week to the next, and that is exactly why wasps like it.
A nest in such a corner can sit in the bush, in the gap behind the shed, in the soil under the leaf litter or in the heap itself. By August the colony may hold 2,000 to 10,000 wasps or more. Swalecliffe gardeners who tidy that corner only a couple of times a year are the most likely to meet one.
Many people are surprised by how close the nest is to everyday activity. A shed with a wasp nest behind it may be used daily, a compost bin may be emptied every weekend, and the nest has been there all along without incident. The trouble starts when the routine changes: a clear-out, a repair, a heavy door slammed. If you are planning any such job, check first.
What to look for
Stand a few metres off and take it in as a whole.
- Wasps going in and out of the bush, the gap behind the shed or a hole in the soil.
- Wasps flying low across the lawn to the same spot.
- A hum from the heap or from behind the shed.
- Bare soil around a hole at the foot of the bush.
- Grey paper material showing at the join between the shed and the fence.
Use the shed window if it has one. Often the best view of a hidden corner is from the other side of the garden.
Pots stacked against the fence and old planters also hold wasps sometimes. If you see wasps entering a stack of pots, do not lift any of them. Mark the pile and tell the technician where it is.
Keep any rubbish bags and food waste well away from this part of the garden while the nest is active. Wasps will gather around them, and the more of them there are close to the shed, the greater the chance that someone is stung by accident.
Jobs to leave until later
The corner may need clearing, but not yet. Do not add to the compost heap, empty the grass box, move old pots or lift the shed floor. Do not lean anything against the shed on that side. Leave the bush alone as well.
If the shed has to be used, enter it from the other side if there is a second door, or wait. A shed door that bangs against the frame is a vibration source, and the nest may be a few centimetres away on the other side of the wall. Keep children out of the corner.
If you only notice the nest when you open the shed door and find wasps drifting in, close the door gently and stay out. Wasps that have got into the shed will leave on their own once the door is open and the light is on, and you can return when they have gone.
Garden waste and wasps
Heaps of grass clippings, leaves and cuttings are warm and sheltered, which suits a wasp nest. The heap may hide an entrance, so do not turn it over to look. Do not put hot drinks, fruit peel or sweet scraps on it while you wait, and keep the compost bin lidded.
Once the nest has been dealt with, move the heap to another place, preferably away from the fence, and turn it only in the cooler months.
Children love dens and hiding places, and the forgotten corner is a favourite. Make sure they know that it is out of bounds for now, and give them something else to do. A clear, calm reason works better than a flat refusal.
Getting it treated
An insured and qualified technician carries out the treatment on a single call on the day you book if you need same-day service. The price is fixed at £120 per nest. An additional nest on the same property is £60 extra, and there is no call-out charge. We cover Swalecliffe and neighbouring areas, domestic and commercial, seven days a week, with same-day service and evening and weekend appointments.
To book, phone 01622 410 019 or use the booking form on the contact page. Tell us which corner, how far from the house and whether there is a shed, a bin or a heap near it. Mention any allergies at home so the booking can be prioritised.
It may help to draw a rough map of the corner, marking the shed, the fence, the bush and the heap, and noting where you saw the wasps. A sketch is quicker than a description and can be sent as a photo if you are unsure how to put it into words.
Afterwards
Ask the technician when you can go back to the corner and whether the empty nest can be taken down. When you do clear it, do so in daylight and in sections, with gloves and long sleeves. Consider opening up the corner a little, so it is no longer a quiet, forgotten spot, and look at it from late April next year.
When the corner has been treated and checked, consider giving it a purpose: a seat, a few pots, a bird feeder. A corner that is used every week is much less likely to be left undisturbed long enough for a nest to grow.
If you rent the shed, the garden or the property, check your agreement for who looks after outside areas, and tell your landlord or agent about the nest. We cannot give legal advice, but a quick message keeps everyone informed.
Wasps on your property in Swalecliffe?
Fixed price £120 per nest, no call-out charge, same-day service available.