Wasp Nests Under Roof Tiles – A Common Problem for Dovercourt Homes

You cannot see inside a roof nest, but the pattern of traffic at the entrance gives a fair clue to how established the colony has become.

The entrance tells the story

The nest itself is hidden behind tiles, boards or brickwork, so the only part of the colony you can observe is the doorway. That is not as limiting as it sounds. Wasps are creatures of routine, and the way they come and go reveals a good deal about what is happening inside.

A young nest has few workers, and you might see a wasp every minute or two. A well-established one has many foragers on the move, and the traffic is continuous. You do not need to count; you only need an impression.

This guide is about reading that impression calmly, from a long way back, and using it to decide how quickly to act.

Some people find it reassuring to think of the entrance as a road. A quiet lane has a car now and then; a busy road has a steady line. The nest sits at the end of that road, and what you can judge is how busy the road is, not how big the destination.

Three levels of traffic

It helps to think in rough categories rather than numbers.

• A trickle: a wasp now and then, with gaps of a minute or more between them. This often means an early or small nest.
• A steady flow: wasps arriving and leaving every few seconds, with no obvious pause. This usually means a nest that is well under way.
• A constant stream: a busy two-way line of wasps, sometimes with a small cluster hovering by the entrance. This points to a large colony, typically in high summer.

These categories are not exact. They are a way of describing what you see so that you can pass it on when you ring.

Whichever you see, the advice is the same. Keep away, and arrange treatment.

In practice, people find that a few minutes is enough to place the nest in one of these groups. Do not worry if you are between two. Say 'steady, perhaps busier in the afternoon' and leave it at that.

How to watch without taking risks

Pick a spot well back from the wall, preferably across the garden or on the opposite side of the road. Stand where you are not beneath the entrance, and where you can leave quickly if wasps come your way. Keep your arms still, and avoid sudden movements.

Watch for two or three minutes at a time. Longer than that, and you start to drift closer without noticing. If you wish to look again later, go back to the same place so that your readings are comparable.

Keep children and pets indoors while you watch. A child who wanders over to see what you are looking at is the commonest cause of a sting during observation.

Choose your viewing spot with an escape route in mind. If a wasp heads your way, walk calmly toward the house rather than running across the garden. A closed door between you and the wasp solves most problems.

What the traffic does not tell you

Traffic is a guide, not a measurement. Wasps are more active when the day is bright and warm, and a cool, overcast spell can make a big nest look quiet. Likewise a hot afternoon can make a modest nest look alarming.

The traffic also cannot show whether there is more than one entrance, or whether the wasps you see belong to one nest or two. Do not rely on a quiet day to conclude that the problem has gone.

By August a colony is at its peak, and it can hold anywhere between 2,000 and 10,000 wasps or more. Whatever the traffic looks like on a given day, assume that the nest behind it could be that large.

Remember also that wasps heading for the entrance carry nothing visible, but those leaving may seem to hesitate or circle. That is normal. Do not read too much into the details of individual wasps.

Putting it into a booking

When you phone, describe the traffic in your own words: a trickle, a steady flow or a constant stream. Say which side of the house and roughly how high up it is. If wasps are coming indoors or anyone in the household is allergic to stings, say so, and the booking can be prioritised.

A wasp nest is treated for a fixed £90 backed by one visit guaranteed. If a second nest turns up on the same property, the charge for it is £35 as an extra. Cover is seven days a week, including same-day service, and the work is fully insured for domestic and commercial customers.

Call 01245 327274 or make the booking through the form on the contact page. A technician covers Dovercourt and the surrounding villages.

Having the description ready, even in a few words, means the call can be short and the booking simple.

After the visit

Once the nest has been treated, the traffic at the entrance should fade. A handful of wasps returning to the spot out of habit is normal for a short while. If the flow continues at the same level, tell the business.

Ask the technician whether the empty nest can be taken down, and whether they noticed anything else at the roof edge. A roofer can look at the gap afterwards. Repairs are best left until the nest is inactive, so as not to trap wasps inside.

If you kept notes of what you saw, hold on to them. A record of the traffic before treatment gives you something to compare with in the weeks afterwards, and it is a useful reference if wasps return next spring.

Frequently asked questions

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