Found a Wasp Nest in Your Loft in Westwell Leacon? Here's What to Do
A wasp nest has a distinctive look, from its grey papery layers to its single small entrance. Knowing it helps you decide what you are dealing with, safely.
The look of a nest
A wasp nest is made from chewed wood fibre mixed with saliva, which dries into a thin, grey, papery material. The result looks like layers of crumpled paper wrapped around a rounded shape, often with a swirl of pale and darker bands where different wood has been used. Early in the season it may be no bigger than a golf ball, hanging from a rafter by a thin stalk. By August it can be as big as a football or larger.
The nest has a single main entrance, usually near the bottom, where wasps enter and leave in a steady line. Inside there are layers of cells in which the young are raised, but you will not see those unless the outer shell is broken, and nobody should do that.
Colour can mislead. A new nest is often pale and almost silvery, while an older one darkens to brown or grey, with bands in different shades where the wasps have gathered different wood. The surface is thin and brittle, which is why it should never be touched. The shape is usually round or teardrop, with a short stalk at the top, and the outer shell can look scalloped, like overlapping shells.
Where in the loft you might see one
Nests hang or sit in places that are dry and protected. In a roof space the most likely positions are:
- Hanging from a rafter or the underside of the roof.
- Wedged between a rafter and the wall plate at the eaves.
- Tucked behind insulation or stored boxes.
- Close to the chimney breast or a water tank.
- Against the inside of the gable end.
You will usually see only a part of it, such as the grey curve of a surface or the dark gap of the entrance. If you glimpse any of that, treat it as a live nest.
Not every nest is in the open. Some sit inside a wall cavity or beneath the roof covering, where only the entrance hole is visible from a distance. In a loft, a nest tucked behind insulation can look like nothing more than a patch of grey material. If you see wasps going in and out of what seems a plain surface, assume a nest is behind it.
If you see it by accident
Sometimes you come across a nest without looking for it, perhaps when fetching a suitcase. If that happens, stay calm. Do not move suddenly, do not shine a torch directly at it and do not take a closer look. Step back slowly, go down the ladder, and close the hatch firmly behind you.
Tell the rest of the household not to use the loft. Then phone us, describing where you saw it and how big it was. Do not worry about getting the size right. A nest is not always as large as it looks in the dark.
A calm reaction is the whole point. Wasps tend to ignore a still person who is some way off, but sudden movement, vibration or a bright light close to the nest will draw them out. Keep your voice down, move slowly and shut the hatch with care rather than letting it drop.
Other things that get mistaken for nests
A number of harmless objects look a little like a wasp nest in poor light. Balls of insulation, old fabric, a bird's nest, wasp-like cobwebs and clumps of fluff can all fool a quick glance. Old nests from previous years also remain, as brittle grey shells with no wasp activity. The difference is activity. A live nest has traffic around the entrance; an old one is silent.
Do not try to find out. If you are unsure, take a photograph from the hatch if you can do so without climbing in, and send it to us or describe it by phone.
If you are curious, there is no harm in looking at pictures online, but compare carefully with what you saw. A good tip is to describe it to the technician by shape, size and position, and let them decide. They would rather hear a rough description than see a nervous householder reaching into the loft to check.
If your own loft has any old paper-like shell hanging in it, resist the urge to take it down yourself. Even an old nest can be next to a new one, and breaking it releases fine particles that are unpleasant to breathe. Wait for the visit and ask the technician about it.
Treatment and the price
Once it is confirmed, the visit is simple. A technician who is fully insured and qualified treats the nest for a fixed £120 per nest, or £60 for an additional nest on the same property, with no call-out charge and one visit guaranteed. Bookings run seven days a week, same-day service is offered, and evening and weekend slots are available.
Phone 01622 410 019 or use the form on the contact page, which also covers emergencies out of hours. We cover homes and commercial buildings in Westwell Leacon and surrounding villages.
The technician will not ask you to go up with them. You can stay downstairs while the work is done, and they will explain what they found when they come down, including whether there was a second nest.
After treatment
The technician will tell you when it is safe to use the loft again. The nest then becomes an empty paper shell, which is never reused. Ask at booking whether it can be taken down. Meanwhile, dead wasps near the nest and on the landing can be vacuumed or swept.
If you see a fresh grey patch on an eaves board or a new bundle of paper in future seasons, call early. It is quicker to deal with a small nest than a large one.
Wasps on your property in Westwell Leacon?
Fixed price £120 per nest, no call-out charge, same-day service available.