Do Wasps Return to the Same Nest Every Year? A Guide for Beaumont-cum-Moze Gardens

Finding a second nest is more common than people expect, and it helps to know why, and what to do about both.

One nest, two nests, three

People usually find a single nest, deal with it, and assume the problem is solved. Then a second turns up in the shed or the hedge. It feels like bad luck, or like the first treatment failed. In most cases neither is true.

Each queen chooses her own site independently. In spring, a number of queens may search the same garden, and more than one may settle. They do not coordinate. The nests are separate colonies, built in the same year, and that is why two can exist at once.

It is also true that none of these nests come back the next year. Each colony dies in autumn. Households in Beaumont-cum-Moze may see one nest one summer, two the next, and none the year after.

It is common for a year with many queens to give several nests per property, while the next year is quiet. The count tells you little about the future.

It is understandable to feel that the problem is following you around. In fact it is the property that is attractive, not you, and a few repairs can change the picture.

How they end up close together

A property with several suitable cavities attracts several queens. A big garden with a shed, a hedge, a loft and a bank has a lot of choice. A site that was good last year is likely to be good again, so even if the previous nest was dealt with, the cavity remains.

Wasps from different colonies are not friends. Nests close together compete for food, but both can survive if there is enough around.

• More outbuildings mean more choice.
• Untidy corners provide more cover.
• Gaps in the roofline serve several queens.

Nests also tend to be built in different types of space. One may be in a roof, another in a bank, another in a hedge. The different structures suit different queens, and several can coexist without interfering with each other.

There is no evidence that treating one nest drives wasps to another, but it can reveal a second nest that was already there, once the first colony has gone and the foragers you were seeing are explained.

Treat each nest separately, and keep your distance from all of them.

Checking for a second nest

When you find one nest, look for others. Walk the whole property and check all the usual places: roofline, loft, sheds, garage, hedges, trees, the ground and walls. A second nest is often less obvious, and discovery can come only after the first is gone and the wasps you notice no longer seem to be explained.

If wasps are still flying after a treatment, do not assume the nest has failed. It may be a second nest, a neighbour’s nest or simply foragers from further away. Tell the technician what you see.

If you suspect that you have two nests, a calm look at the direction of flight is useful. Wasps coming from two different directions, or entering two different holes, are a sign. A technician can often confirm this on the visit.

Tell us about both when you book, so that we can plan the work.

Check again two or three days after the visit by watching from a distance at the warm part of the day. If you still see a steady stream to one spot, let us know. Describe the position carefully so that we know whether it is the same spot as before.

Bear in mind that foragers from a nest next door may keep passing through, and a few wasps drinking or feeding do not mean a nest.

The price

The price is fixed. The first nest is £90 per nest, with one visit guaranteed, and an additional nest on the same property is £35 per nest. The price does not change with location or time of day.

Bookings run seven days a week, same-day service is available, and we are fully insured for domestic and commercial customers. We are fully insured.

If you are not sure how many nests there are, tell us what you can see, and the technician will check on the day. You pay for the nests that are treated.

Remember to allow enough time for a visit, because nests are not always where they are first assumed to be.

Tell the technician about any other wasp trouble you have noticed, so they can look in the right places while they are on site.

Reducing the odds of more

Repair gaps in winter, keep storage tidy and check likely spots from late April. If you had two nests, record where both were. Fix the gaps that let wasps in. It will not guarantee a quiet summer, but it removes some easy options.

Once you are certain an old nest is empty, it can be bagged and binned. You may also ask, when booking, if the unused nest can be removed.

Keep a note of where each nest was, with the year, in one place such as your phone or a diary.

When the property is let, a photograph of each nest with a date, sent to the landlord or agent, helps everybody. Who deals with repairs depends on the agreement, so check it.

For commercial premises, add a line about wasps to your site inspection sheet.

Booking

Phone Wasp Nest Removal Essex on 01245 327274 or use the booking form on our contact page. Tell us if you think there is more than one nest, and where, so that we can plan the visit. Mention any allergy at the same time so that the booking can be prioritised.

Frequently asked questions

More wasp advice for Beaumont-cum-Moze