Wasps Around Your Guttering and Fascias? How to Find the Nest in Westwell Leacon
Honeybees and bumblebees sometimes use roof edges too, so before booking any treatment it helps to be sure that what you have is a wasp nest.
Why identification matters
A busy insect entrance at the roof edge does not always mean wasps. Bees sometimes nest in cavities in buildings, and the people who deal with them are different from the people who deal with wasps. Treating the wrong insect wastes time, and bees in particular are valued and should be dealt with by the right specialist.
This service treats wasps. If what you have turns out to be a bee colony, you will need a local beekeeper or the relevant bee organisation instead. I will not name one, but a quick search for your area will find them.
Some insects look confusingly similar to wasps at a glance. Hoverflies, for instance, wear yellow and black stripes but are harmless flies, and they hover in front of flowers rather than entering a roof-edge gap. Learning a few simple differences can spare you a needless worry.
Telling wasps from bees by looking
Look at the insects from a safe distance, using zoom or binoculars. Their shape and behaviour give the clearest clues.
- Wasps have smooth, slim bodies with sharply defined black and yellow bands and a narrow waist.
- Honeybees are slightly more brown and furry, with a rounder body and softer colouring.
- Bumblebees are large, round and fuzzy, and fly slowly with a heavy buzz.
- Wasps move quickly and directly, while bees often appear to wander from flower to flower.
- Bees carry visible yellow pollen on their legs; wasps do not.
No single feature is conclusive, so look at several together.
Size and sound help as well. A wasp’s buzz is typically higher and more rasping than the deep hum of a bumblebee. Honeybees fall somewhere between the two. If you cannot see the insects well, listening from a short distance can give you a clue.
Colour can mislead, so do not rely on it alone. Some wasps look pale and some bees look dark, particularly when the light is poor or the insect is dirty. A mix of shape, behaviour and position gives a more reliable answer than one feature.
Telling them apart by behaviour
Wasps are attracted to sweet food, drink and meat, and will hover around your plates in summer. Bees prefer flowers and rarely bother food. Wasps chew wood and build papery nests; honeybees build wax comb in sheltered cavities.
At a roof-edge entrance, wasps tend to drop in and out quickly and in a fairly straight line. Honeybees may cluster at the entrance and fan their wings. If you see large numbers of insects clustering on the wall near a hole, it is worth taking a photograph and considering that you may have bees.
The season is another pointer. Bumblebees and honeybees may be seen from early spring, while wasps become noticeable in numbers from summer. A large colony around the roof edge in August that is interested in your food is more likely to be wasps.
Bees fly in and out of an entrance in a rather slow, laden way, particularly when carrying pollen. Wasps coming and going from a nest look sleeker and move with more urgency. After a minute or two of watching, the difference is often clear.
What to do if you think they are bees
Do not disturb the entrance, and keep people and pets away. Do not spray or block the hole. Contact a local beekeeper or the relevant bee organisation, describe what you see and send a photograph.
If you cannot tell and want advice, you can ring the office and describe the insects. If they sound like bees, you will be told so, and you can then speak to someone who deals with them. If it is wasps, treatment can be arranged.
A photograph with good zoom, taken from a safe distance, is the best way to settle the matter with an expert. Take several, from different angles, and include the entrance if you can. Do not get close for a better shot.
Wasps are also more likely to land on your food or drink when you are sitting outside, whereas bees ignore it. That is a handy household test: if the insects keep pestering your tea and cake, they are almost certainly wasps.
If it is wasps
Wasps nesting in a fascia or soffit can be treated for a fixed £120 per nest, with no call-out charge and one visit guaranteed, according to the price graphic. An additional nest at the same address comes to £60 extra. The technician is fully insured and qualified.
Keep your distance from the entrance, and do not use a ladder. Wasps can swarm and sting if threatened, and a nest may contain thousands of them by August.
Keep in mind that bees should be protected where possible, and many beekeepers are glad to hear about a colony in a building, because it may be possible to move it. Contacting the right person early gives the best outcome for the insects and for you.
Booking in Westwell Leacon
Phone 01622 410 019 or use the online booking form on the contact page. The business is open seven days a week with same-day service and has evening and weekend appointments, for homes and commercial properties.
Give the office a clear description of the insects, and mention any sting allergy so the visit can be prioritised. Afterwards, arrange for the gap to be sealed.
If it turns out to be wasps, there is no need to feel you made the wrong call by asking. Checking first is sensible, and it takes only a short conversation.
Whatever you find, keep children and pets away from the entrance until you know what you are dealing with. A little caution costs nothing and prevents most accidents.
Wasps on your property in Westwell Leacon?
Fixed price £120 per nest, no call-out charge, same-day service available.