Wasp Control for Belchamp Otten Restaurants, Pubs and Commercial Premises

Salon clients are seated, covered and often unable to move quickly, so a wasp in the room or at the door needs a measured response from the whole team.

A client who cannot easily move

In a hairdressing or beauty salon, a client sits under a cape, has foils or colour on their head, or lies back on a couch. A wasp that lands nearby feels like a much bigger threat than it would on a street, because the client cannot simply stand and walk away. Stylists with scissors, clippers or colour in their hands also cannot react quickly.

That is why a salon should deal with the cause promptly. Wasps do not need to be inside to cause concern; a nest above the door or in the window frame can send a steady supply into the shop each afternoon.

Barbers have a similar issue, with the added feature of a shop door that often stands open in warm weather. Walk-in trade means the door matters, and a wasp circling the waiting chairs is likely to be noticed by everyone in the queue.

Small steps at the door and window

Salons have a front door that opens frequently and often a shop window that gets warm in the sun. Consider:

• keeping the door closed between clients rather than propped open
• closing windows on the sunny side, particularly in the afternoon
• keeping sweet drinks and biscuits offered to clients covered, or serving them with lids
• emptying the bin regularly, especially if it holds cups and snacks
• wiping the reception desk and the tray where drinks are placed

Avoid heavily sugared drinks on trays near the door. A wasp coming in will head straight for them.

Products matter, too. Sweet-smelling shampoos, conditioners and styling products, and nail varnish and polish remover in beauty rooms, add scents to the room. Keep lids on, wipe up drips and keep waste in a bin with a lid. A wasp that has entered a room is looking for food, but strong smells can keep it circling.

If a window-side chair is the one wasps seem to visit, offer clients a different seat on warm afternoons until the nest is dealt with.

What the team should do if a wasp comes in

A shared plan avoids panic. Agree that the person nearest speaks quietly to the client, reassures them and moves any drink or snack away. Nobody should swat. If a window is within reach, open it and give the wasp room to leave. Keep scissors and clippers pointed away from the client if you move suddenly.

Tell the client that you are aware of the wasps and are dealing with the cause. Most clients appreciate honesty and an offer to move to a different chair if one is available.

Do not use spray anywhere near clients. It can irritate skin and breathing and gives off an unpleasant smell.

A client who is nervous of insects may need a slightly longer reassurance. Keep your tone steady and practical: the wasp will leave, the team is dealing with the cause, and nothing needs to be done by the client. If they want to stop and move, make that easy.

Finding the nest

Nests near a shopfront often sit in a gap above the door, in a porch roof, behind the fascia, in a hanging basket or in the roof void. Look from the pavement for wasps entering or leaving a particular spot. Check also the back of the building if there is a yard or access lane. Note the time of day when wasps are busiest.

Do not climb to take a closer look. Ladders and nests are a bad combination, and a stung person on a ladder is at risk of a fall. A description from the ground is enough for the technician.

Mobile hairdressers, nail technicians and home salons also meet this problem. If you work from a room at home, check the porch and path as well as the room itself.

Booking

This service takes on wasp nests at domestic addresses as well as commercial sites. Open seven days a week, the company is fully insured and offers same-day service. One nest comes to a fixed £90 and one visit is guaranteed. Another nest on the same property costs £35 extra.

Booking starts with a call to 01245 327274 or complete the online booking form on the contact page. Say that you run a salon and give the position of the nest and the times when appointments are busiest. If anyone on your team or among regular clients is allergic to stings, say so at booking so that the visit can be prioritised. The village and surrounding villages all fall within the technician’s area.

If your shop is in a row or a rented unit, tell the landlord or neighbours. Who arranges treatment depends on your lease, but wasps do not stop at the boundary.

Appointment books give you a useful advantage: you know in advance who is coming and when. If the entrance is affected, ring clients on the day to tell them which door to use, and mention that the matter is in hand.

Stings, clients and records

If a client or colleague is stung, help them sit down, wash the area, remove the sting if visible and apply a cold pack. Treat it as urgent and call 999 for dizziness, a widespread rash, swelling of the face, lips or throat or wheezing or difficulty breathing. Those with a known allergy should talk to their GP.

Keep a short note of the incident in the appointment book or an accident record, as you would normally. Wasps begin nests in late April depending on the weather, so a look at the front of the building each spring is a sensible habit for a salon in Belchamp Otten or anywhere else.

Before the busy pre-holiday and wedding seasons, take a minute to look at the shop front. Hanging baskets and window boxes are favourite spots for small nests, and watering them without looking is a common cause of stings.

Frequently asked questions

More wasp advice for Belchamp Otten