Wasp Nest in a Hedge or Bush – What Ashdon Garden Owners Should Know

Garden play equipment is often tucked into a shaded corner under trees and hedges, which is also where wasps like to settle.

A shady corner suits everyone

Parents often place a swing, a slide or a trampoline in a shaded corner where children can play without baking in the sun, and there is some privacy from the house. Wasps like a similar place: sheltered, quiet and screened by plants. When the two coincide, a nest and a child’s playground end up a few steps apart.

The activity of play makes it worse. Bouncing, swinging and running all create vibration and noise, and children rarely check the hedge before they start.

Treehouses and dens in hedges are a particular favourite with children, and a den built into a thick shrub is exactly the kind of cavity a nest might occupy. If you notice children playing in a hedge, check for wasps before you let them do so again.

Wasps are also drawn to the sticky residue of juice and ice lollies that children leave around play areas. A plastic cup left on the grass can bring them in, even if the nest is some distance away.

Check the area before play

On warm days from late April, make a habit of a quick check before the children go out. Stand by the equipment and look around:

• Are there wasps flying in a line towards a nearby hedge or shrub?
• Can you see a hole in the ground, under the trampoline or beneath the swing frame?
• Is there a hum from the planting above or beside the equipment?
• Are wasps crawling over plastic or metal parts?

Look under the trampoline too. The area under it is dark, dry and rarely disturbed, and wasps can use the space beneath it.

Climbing frames with canopies or tarpaulins add shaded, sheltered gaps under which wasps may start building. Look at the fabric and the frame joints, especially in corners, and note anything unusual.

Why equipment can cause trouble

A trampoline sends vibration through the ground, and a nest in the soil below it will feel every jump. A swing hung from a tree branch shakes the branch, and a wasp nest in the tree will feel that too. A treehouse or climbing frame set into a hedge involves children actually touching the plant.

Even the noise of children can act as a trigger. A colony close to a play area may become defensive as children run and shout nearby.

If you suspect a nest, stop all use of the equipment until it has been treated. It may seem harsh to the children, but a few days without a trampoline is far better than a trip to hospital.

If your garden is small, you may have little choice about where equipment stands. In that case, the hedge is the thing to treat, and the equipment can stay where it is once the nest is gone. Do not feel that you must move everything because of one nest.

Explaining it to children

Keep the message simple and unfussy. Tell them wasps have a nest in the hedge, that nobody goes near it until a specialist has dealt with it, and that if a wasp lands on them they should stay still or walk away slowly. Reassure them that most wasps are not interested in people.

Give older children a job, such as watching from a window and telling you what they see. Younger ones might enjoy a different game in another part of the garden.

Make sure other children who visit are told as well. A friend who has not heard the rules may well run straight to the hedge.

If a child is stung, wash the area, remove the sting if visible and apply a cold pack. Dial 999 if the person develops dizziness, wheezing or difficulty breathing, a widespread rash or swelling of the face, lips or throat.

If a birthday party is planned, tell the other parents about the hedge, and keep all the activity at the other end of the garden. Ring early so that the nest can be treated beforehand.

After the treatment

Once the nest has been treated, ask the technician when the equipment can be used again. It is worth looking at the area before the children return, from a distance, to check that the wasps have gone.

If you can, move the equipment a little further from the hedge. A few metres of open lawn gives you a clearer view of the planting and a safer buffer. Remove any leaf litter and debris from beneath a trampoline so that nothing is left to shelter wasps.

Check under and around the equipment now and again over the summer, especially from late April, when new colonies begin to build.

If your children have friends round regularly, a quick reminder at the start of the summer about not poking at hedges and holes is a sensible habit. It is easier to teach once than to explain after a sting.

Booking

Wasp Nest Removal Essex covers Ashdon and the villages around it, seven days a week, with same-day visits often possible. The fee is a flat £90 per nest with one visit guaranteed, and each additional nest found on the property costs £35 extra. We are open seven days a week, offer same-day service and are fully insured, for domestic and commercial clients.

Our number is 01245 327274 or use the online booking form. Tell us what equipment is near the hedge and whether any child at home has a known allergy, so the booking can be prioritised.

It is worth mentioning your play equipment when you book, as it may affect where the technician needs to stand.

Frequently asked questions

More wasp advice for Ashdon