Wasp Nest in a Hedge or Bush – What Woolage Green Garden Owners Should Know
Ivy gives wasps an evergreen roof and an unseen cavity behind it, so reading the traffic on an ivy-clad boundary is the only safe way to check.
Ivy as a hiding place
Ivy is one of the best natural covers a wasp could ask for. It stays green all year, grows thick, and builds up layers of old stems and dead leaves underneath. Behind the leaves there is often a dry, dark cavity on top of a wall, a hedge or a fence, and that is the sort of space wasps pick.
An ivy-covered boundary can hold a nest from late April to the autumn without any outward sign. By August it may contain 2,000 to 10,000 wasps or more. The leaf cover is so tight that you might lean right up against the nest without knowing.
Some hedges are mostly ivy by now, with the original shrubs buried underneath. In that case, the nest may be in the original framework, deep inside. The hedge may look like a green wall, but beneath it is a lattice of old stems that gives plenty of space.
Signs to watch for
Look from a distance.
- Wasps landing on the ivy and disappearing into it at one point.
- A line of wasps flying to the same stretch of ivy, with some leaving.
- Ivy flowers are a late-season food source, so a crowd of wasps in autumn on the flowers may be feeding and not nesting. Check whether they go into the leaves.
- A hum from within the ivy on a still day.
- Parts of the ivy that look flattened or disturbed where wasps pass.
If you see steady traffic at one point on the wall or hedge, record it and leave it alone.
Late in the year, the ivy flowers draw crowds of wasps and other insects, which can make a nest harder to spot. If you are watching in autumn, ignore the busy flowers and look at the quieter spots where wasps are entering the leaves.
Walls covered in ivy sometimes have a ledge or a cap on top where the stems spread. A nest on such a ledge can be reached by wasps from many directions, which makes the traffic hard to read. Watch from two different positions and compare your notes. Where the two lines meet is the likeliest site.
Some people find ivy hedges give off a damp, earthy smell in warm weather. That is normal and not a sign of a nest, so do not be put off by it. What matters is the movement of the wasps. Keep your attention on the traffic and ignore other clues that may mislead.
Why you should not pull the ivy
Many people want to clear ivy as soon as they think something is living in it. Pulling it is the wrong move. Ivy stems are strong, and tearing them from a wall or hedge shakes the whole structure. If the nest is behind the leaves, you will be inches from it.
Clipping or cutting it back has the same effect with the addition of a blade. Leave it exactly as it is until the nest has been dealt with. Do not hose it either.
Ivy-covered walls can hold more than wasps. Birds nest in them, and small mammals shelter in them. A disturbance may flush out all of these at once. Another reason to let a professional decide how to approach it.
A word on walls
Where ivy covers a wall, the nest may be in a gap in the masonry or a hollow behind the stems. A wall that is part of a house or outbuilding may allow wasps to get inside, so if you notice wasps in an upstairs room or around a window near the ivy, say so when you book.
If the wall is shared with a neighbour, let them know what you have seen.
Keep children away from the wall and hedge, and be careful with pets. A dog sniffing at the base of an ivy-covered wall is a common way to find a hidden nest.
A nest in the ivy of a boundary shared with a lane, a footpath or a neighbour is a risk to more than just your household. A cone or a stick with a rag, set well back, can warn people. Tell the technician about any public route near the ivy when you ring.
Treatment
An insured and qualified technician carries out the treatment in one go. The price is fixed at £120 per nest, with £60 for an additional nest at the same address, and there is no call-out charge. We cover Woolage Green and the surrounding area, domestic and commercial, seven days a week, with same-day service and evening and weekend appointments.
To arrange a visit, call 01622 410 019 or use the online booking form. Describe where on the boundary the traffic goes in, and say if anyone at home is allergic to stings so that the booking can be prioritised.
Ivy-covered buildings, sheds and garages may need to be checked too. If the ivy has grown over the eaves or a roof edge, a nest could be in the gap beneath. Tell the technician about any outbuildings, and we can look at them on the same visit.
On the day of the visit, keep pets and children indoors and the windows shut on the ivy side of the house. The technician will let you know when it is safe to open them again and to use the garden.
Dealing with the ivy later
Ask the technician when you can clear the ivy and whether the empty nest can be taken down. When you do, work in sections, from the far end, and in the cooler months. Cutting ivy back to a lower height lets more light and air in, which makes it less appealing to nesting wasps, and makes any new activity easier to see in spring.
If you intend to remove the ivy altogether, do it in winter, in sections, with gloves and eye protection. Ivy is hard on walls and fences, and taking it down, once it is safe to do so, may be a good idea anyway.
Wasps on your property in Woolage Green?
Fixed price £120 per nest, no call-out charge, same-day service available.