Wasps Around Your Guttering and Fascias? How to Find the Nest in Great Yeldham

Advice about wasps at the gutter is full of confident tips that do more harm than good, so it is worth knowing which ones to ignore before you act.

Myth: blocking the hole will stop them

The idea is that if you cannot see the wasps, they cannot trouble you, and a squirt of foam or a wad of filler seems the neatest answer. In reality, a colony sealed inside a cavity does not give up. The workers look for another way out and often chew through whatever is thinnest, which can be plasterboard, a soffit panel or a gap beside a pipe leading into the house.

Blocking an entrance also does nothing to the nest. Wasps already inside stay active, and those outside gather at the sealed spot in confusion. If you want to close the gap, do it after the nest has been treated.

A related myth is that a wasp nest can be knocked down with a long pole. A nest behind a fascia cannot be reached that way, and a nest hanging in a tree or on a wall releases a rush of angry wasps when struck.

Myth: smoke or water will flush them out

Neither is a safe or effective answer. Smoke near a building is a fire risk, and wasps stirred up by it become defensive. A jet of water aimed into the eaves soaks the board and the cavity behind it, angers the colony and can damage the roofline. Pressure on a nest just makes the guards at the entrance more alert.

Wasps do not leave on command. A colony is anchored to its nest, with grubs that need feeding, and it will defend them.

Pouring boiling water into a ground nest or a hole in the wall is another dangerous idea. It scalds the person doing it as readily as the wasps, and it makes the survivors more aggressive.

There is also the idea that you can pour something into the gap at night to finish the job. Night is no safer, because wasps at the entrance will still defend it, and a torch or movement in the dark can provoke them.

Myth: a shop-bought spray from a ladder will do

Sprays seem like the easy solution, but at roof height they bring three problems. You are on a ladder, a few inches from the entrance, with one hand free. The spray may only reach the wasps at the opening, not the nest hidden in the cavity. And disturbed wasps can pour out at the person holding the can.

Even if some wasps are knocked down, the nest keeps producing workers, and the problem returns within days. The risk is high and the benefit is low.

There is also the suggestion that the strong smell of a repellent will drive a colony away. We cannot recommend any such method. A colony is not moved by smell.

A final concern is the leftover mess. A sprayed nest that is not properly dealt with can leave live wasps around for days, and anyone who approaches it later may be stung.

A related belief is that a bit of insecticide on the end of a stick will do. The nest is hidden and the colony is large, so a stick poked at the gap simply stirs up the guards.

Myth: it is fine to wait until they go away

Some say wasps will leave when the weather changes. They do not, at least not until autumn, when the colony dies back. Until then, the nest grows through the summer, peaking in August, with anything from 2,000 to 10,000 or more wasps. Waiting generally makes the problem worse and the wasps more irritable.

The one grain of truth is that old nests are not reused. The nest dies in autumn. But the gap is still there next spring.

You may hear that a wasp nest is harmless as long as you leave it alone. That can be true for a nest far from any activity, but at the roofline, near doors, windows and gardens, it is not a safe thing to leave.

Waiting makes sense only for a lone wasp or two that are not entering any gap. A steady stream is a different matter.

Myth: a little bit of noise cannot hurt

Wasps respond to vibration. Hammering a loose board, running a drill on the wall or banging on the soffit to see what happens can send guards out in force. Even the thud of a ball against the fascia can start a reaction. Keep activity near the roofline to a minimum until the nest has been dealt with.

The same goes for lawn mowers and hedge trimmers close to the wall. If you need to do such jobs, wait.

It is also a myth that wasps only sting when provoked on purpose. Accidentally brushing the entrance, shaking a ladder or stepping into the flight path can be enough.

It is worth saying too that none of these myths is foolish. Each one sounds like common sense, which is why they spread, but wasps in a cavity do not behave as common sense suggests.

What does work

The sensible approach is to keep your distance, watch from the ground, note the position and book treatment. A technician covering Great Yeldham brings the right access equipment and protective clothing, and treats the nest at its source. Afterwards, close the gap properly with a repair.

Treatment is a fixed £90 per nest with one visit guaranteed. An additional nest on the same property costs £35 more. You can book any day of the week, seven days a week, and same-day service is offered. If you would like the nest treated, phone 01245 327274 or send the online form on the contact page and say how high up the wasps are going in. Ring 999 immediately if there is swelling of the face, lips or throat, difficulty breathing or wheezing, dizziness, or a rash spreading over the body.

When in doubt, ask. The technician will gladly explain why a method is a bad idea and what to do instead.

It is also fine to ask for reassurance. If you tried something before reading this, tell us when you ring, so the technician knows what has been done.

Frequently asked questions

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