How to Tell If You Have an Active Wasp Nest on Your Belchamp Otten Property

A box fixed to a wall or an old nest tucked under the roof edge can look like a bird’s home while the real tenants are wasps.

Borrowed homes

Wasps are opportunists. A queen looking for somewhere to start a colony will take advantage of whatever is available, and that includes spaces that other animals have used. Bird boxes, old nests in the eaves, hollow spaces left by fallen branches and cavities in tree trunks all offer shelter that she does not have to build.

This can cause confusion for householders. You may have a bird box that was used successfully last spring and assume it is still a bird box. A wasp nest inside looks no different from the outside, apart from the traffic at the hole.

Spotting the difference

Bird traffic and wasp traffic are quite different once you watch for a while. Birds are larger and come and go in ones and twos, with visible feeding visits. They perch on the box or the edge of the roof, call and move on. Wasps are small, numerous, and fly in and out in quick succession without perching for long.

• Many small flying insects entering a hole meant for a bird.
• No sign of bird feeding visits, even in nesting season.
• Grey paper fragments near the opening.
• A hum from inside when it is quiet.

If you see wasps entering a box or an old nest, treat it as an active wasp nest and leave it alone.

The surroundings can help. A bird box in a garden that has been quiet all spring, and then sprouts a burst of insect traffic in June, is a good candidate for a wasp nest. In contrast, a box with small birds flying in and out with food every few minutes is clearly in use by birds. Check at different times, and remember that birds tend to be more active early and late in the day.

House martin and swallow nests

Mud nests under the eaves are used by some birds for summer breeding, and can sit unused later in the year. Wasps may investigate such spaces, and in some cases they use them. If you are not sure whether a nest is a bird’s or a wasp’s, do not disturb it, and look from a distance.

Wasp Nest Removal Essex treats wasps only. If the nest belongs to a bird, there is nothing for us to treat, and the best course is to leave it alone and let the birds finish breeding.

Roof-edge nests deserve a particular note. Old mud nests from house martins and swallows are often left in place, and some people confuse these with wasp nests. The shapes are different: a mud nest is a bowl or cup, tan or brown, made of pellets of earth, usually with a clear opening at the top. A wasp nest is grey, papery and layered.

If you find a papery nest hanging among old bird nests, it is a wasp nest. If the insects are flying in and out, treat it as active and leave it alone.

Old nests that appear to be empty

In winter, an old bird’s nest or a box can look empty, and in late autumn a wasp nest that was active in September may be finished. It is hard to tell from the outside which is which. Resist the temptation to clear out boxes in summer or early autumn, when there may still be wasps inside.

If you want to clean a bird box, do so in winter, and look first for any sign of wasp paper or dead wasps. A box that contains grey papery material rather than twigs and feathers is a wasp nest. Wear gloves, and if you are unsure, ask for advice.

If in doubt about what lives in a space, watch before acting. Spend a quarter of an hour at a distance, on a warm day, and write down what comes and goes. Small, quick, striped insects entering in numbers mean wasps. Feathers, droppings below the hole and visits with food in the beak mean birds. Soft, silent and nocturnal occupants point to other animals and should be left alone.

Other animals

Other animals also use these cavities, including bats, mice and solitary bees. If you see signs of other animals, such as droppings, scratching or soft fur, do not disturb them. If you are unsure what is living in a space, it is better to ask for advice before taking action.

In general, keep your distance, watch for a while, and do not poke. The behaviour of the occupants will tell you what they are.

If you are undecided, leave things as they are. A bird box that has housed wasps can be cleaned in winter once all activity has stopped, and a clean box will be available for birds the following spring. If wasps return to a box year after year, it may be worth moving it to a different place, away from the house, or choosing a design with a smaller entrance hole.

You can ask the technician at booking whether the empty nest can be taken down once it has been treated, including from a bird box or other fixture.

Booking

If it is a wasp nest, Wasp Nest Removal Essex treats it for a fixed £90 only, and an additional nest on the same property is £35 only. The treatment is fully insured, and it comes with one visit guaranteed. Our technician covers Belchamp Otten and the surrounding villages, with same-day service seven days a week for domestic and commercial customers.

Phone 01245 327274 or submit the booking form on the contact page. Describe the box or nest, where it is and what the insects are doing.

Frequently asked questions

More wasp advice for Belchamp Otten