When Is Wasp Season in Elmdon?

Not every wasp problem is a nest. Some of the little things in a garden attract wasps at specific times, and knowing which saves needless worry.

Separating the attraction from the nest

A garden with a washing line, bird feeders, hanging baskets and a water feature is a pleasant place, and it can also be a magnet for wasps. People in Elmdon who see wasps around these features often assume they have a nest. Sometimes they do. Often the wasps are simply visitors, and the calendar explains which items matter at which times.

This guide goes through the garden year, picking out the features that matter most and showing how to tell a nuisance from a nest.

Spring: little to attract them

As nests begin from late April, depending on the weather, wasps are busy collecting building material and catching insects. They may take wood fibre from garden furniture, fence panels or old shed timber. You might see a wasp scraping at a weathered surface. That is normal and not a threat.

Hanging baskets, newly planted, do not attract them at this stage. Bird feeders may be visited, but not in numbers.

Bird baths and ponds also draw wasps in warm weather, because they need water as well as food. A wasp drinking at the edge of a pond is not unusual, and it is not a sign of a nest, though a regular stream of them could be.

Summer: nectar, fruit and feeders

In June and July flowers in baskets and borders draw wasps for nectar. They are generally calm while feeding. Fruit and berries, ripening in pots and on bushes, attract them later. A hummingbird-style sugar feeder is not common in the UK, but feeders with fat balls or sugary mixes can draw wasps, particularly in late summer.

• Move sugary feeders away from seating areas.
• Wash feeders and bird baths regularly.
• Hang baskets away from doors and windows.
• Pick ripe fruit promptly.

Think about where each feature sits in relation to where people spend time. A feeder at the end of the garden does little harm, whereas one next to the patio table brings the wasps straight to you. Moving a feeder five or six metres is often enough.

Hanging baskets near a front door deserve a thought, as visitors and postal workers pass them daily. A basket full of flowers is a pleasant welcome, but if wasps gather at it, move it somewhere less busy.

Keep an eye on the fruit in pots and on small trees, as ripening produce close to the house can attract wasps right to the window.

The washing line

Washing is a surprising wasp attraction. Damp cloth holds moisture, and clothes with sweet-smelling softener or spilled juice may bring a curious visitor. A wasp can also settle in a towel or a sleeve and be carried inside. Shake each item before bringing it indoors, and check the pockets.

If the line is close to a wall or hedge with a nest, move it. Hanging washing in the flight path is an invitation to be stung. Take washing in early in the day during August, when the nest is at its busiest.

Garden parasols and sheets are another place wasps may land. A folded parasol can hide a wasp or two, so open it slowly the first time each day. The same is true of cushions left on seats and towels draped over a rail.

Resist the urge to use sugary traps close to seating. They can pull wasps towards the very spot where you wanted to relax, and they make no difference to a nest.

Late summer: sugar everywhere

Wasps seem to turn to sweet things as summer goes on, and the feeders, fruit trees and bins in a garden all provide it. At the peak in August, a nest can hold from 2,000 to 10,000 or more wasps, and the numbers around small features rise. This can make an ordinary garden feel overrun.

Tackle the attractions first. If numbers fall, the problem was food. If they continue and you can follow a line to a single spot, there is a nest.

Rubbish bags left beside the back door are a classic attractant. Use a lidded bin, tie bags tightly and keep the bin on the shaded side of the house if you can, since heat intensifies smells.

If you want to attract birds and insects to the garden, plant in the middle of the plot and away from seating, so that the flower-lovers and the people do not have to share the same few metres.

When to call

If you have removed the attractions and wasps still arrive in numbers, or if you see one steady line to a wall, roof or the ground, it is time to book a visit. Describe what you have seen, including where the line goes and what features are nearby.

After the nest is treated, return the feeders and baskets gradually to see whether wasps return.

After treatment, restore the garden features slowly and keep them clean. If you see a new line forming, that is a sign to look again at the property for a second source.

Booking Wasp Nest Removal Essex means a fixed £90 per nest and includes one visit guaranteed, with each extra nest on the same property at £35 apiece. Both householders and business owners can book, with full insurance in place, seven-day opening and same-day service offered.

Call 01245 327274 or go to the contact page and use the online booking form. When arranging treatment, ask whether the empty nest can be taken down later. Where a family member or colleague is allergic to wasp stings, tell the team at booking so it can be prioritised.

Frequently asked questions

More wasp advice for Elmdon