Wasp Control for Herongate Restaurants, Pubs and Commercial Premises

Weddings, christenings and parties run to a fixed date, so a venue that finds wasps beforehand needs to move quickly and calmly rather than hope for the best.

When the date cannot move

Most pest problems can wait a few days. A wedding cannot. If a venue has a function booked for the end of the week and someone spots wasps going in and out of the marquee frame, the porch roof or a hedge beside the entrance on Wednesday, the clock is ticking. The good news is that a nest is a well-defined problem with a simple fix, provided it is reported early enough.

The more the organisers know, the better. A host who hears about it from the venue beforehand is generally understanding. A host who finds out when a guest is stung is not.

Venue managers can also help hosts by setting out what they do routinely. A line in the welcome pack or on the website saying that the grounds are checked for wasps before every event reassures people without alarming them. It makes a difference to how a host reacts if a problem does turn up.

Walk the site a week ahead

If you run a venue, build a short outside check into the lead-up to every event. Walk the grounds in the middle of a warm day, when wasps are most active, and look at:

• the approach path and the entrance porch
• eaves, gutters and any hanging baskets or planters
• the frames and poles of marquees and gazebos
• hedges, shrubs and trees where guests will have photographs taken
• drinks and canapé service areas
• bins, bottle stores and the catering tent

Watch each place for a minute or two. A single wasp is nothing. A line of them going to one spot is a nest.

Keep a note of what you find. If you spot a nest on a Tuesday, write down the day, the position and who has been told. If three events follow in the same fortnight, the record shows what was done for each one and spares you from relying on memory.

Equipment brought in by suppliers is easy to overlook. Marquee crews, florists and decorators may lean ladders against the building, hang decorations from the eaves or stack boxes beside the wall. Tell them where the nest is before they begin, and ask them to leave that side alone.

Food, drink and the wedding breakfast

An event is full of exactly what wasps want: sparkling wine, cake, fruit, desserts, sugary cocktails and dozens of unattended glasses on window ledges. In a warm September especially, the outdoor drinks reception is where they appear.

Ask your caterers to keep drinks covered until served, clear glasses promptly and keep bins away from the main area. Cakes should stay indoors until cutting. If a wasp lands near a guest, staff should move quietly rather than swat. A swatted wasp can be an angry wasp.

Tell your team where the nest is so that no one reaches into the hedge for a stray decoration, or props a ladder against the wall to hang bunting beside the nest.

Outdoor ceremonies bring their own difficulty. Guests stand still for a long time in good clothes, often holding a drink, and nobody wants to be seen flapping at an insect. Position seating away from the suspected nest, and keep the floral arrangements away from it, since flowers can attract wasps as well.

Booking a treatment before the day

Wasp Nest Removal Essex works at domestic and commercial premises, is open seven days a week and offers same-day service. The business is fully insured. A single nest costs a fixed £90 with one visit guaranteed, and a further nest at the same property is £35 extra.

Booking starts with a call to 01245 327274 or use the online booking form on the contact page. Say when your event is, where the nest is and how the grounds can be reached. Treating the nest well ahead of the date is better than the day before, because it gives the foraging wasps time to settle. If anyone involved in the event is allergic to stings, say so at booking so that the visit can be prioritised, and ask whether the empty nest can be taken down.

It is worth ringing as soon as you see the evidence, even if the event seems a long way off. Wasps start building from late April, and a nest in July is still growing. Treating it early removes a risk that would otherwise increase until August, which happens to be a popular month for weddings.

What to tell the couple or host

Straightforward honesty is best. Tell the host what was found, that it has been dealt with, and what extra steps you are taking for the day, such as covering drinks and keeping bins away. Do not overpromise: you can say a nest has been treated, but you cannot say that no wasp will ever visit the garden.

If the day is on the horizon and a nest remains, consider moving the drinks reception or photographs to another part of the grounds. A small change of plan is easier than managing a swarm.

Finally, give your staff a few simple words to use if a guest asks. Something like "we found a nest earlier in the week and it has been treated" is enough, calm and truthful.

Guest safety on the day

Put a first aid kit somewhere easy to find, and make sure at least one member of staff knows what to do. Should anyone be stung, wash the area, remove the sting if you can see it and apply a cold pack. Swelling of the face, lips or throat, wheezing or difficulty breathing, dizziness or a widespread rash needs a 999 call straight away. Anyone who knows they are allergic should speak to their GP in advance and tell their host or the venue manager on arrival.

For a venue in Herongate or anywhere else, a nest found in good time is a minor job. A nest found at the reception is a crisis. The difference is a walk round the grounds a week before.

Frequently asked questions

More wasp advice for Herongate