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

Children are curious, and a nest at the roofline is exactly the kind of thing they want to look at, so a calm explanation and a few clear rules work better than a ban alone.

Start with a simple explanation

Children cope better with a problem when they understand it. Tell them, in plain words, that some wasps have made a nest in a gap near the gutter, that a person who knows how to deal with it is coming, and that until then everyone needs to keep away from that part of the house. Keep your voice steady and matter of fact.

Avoid dramatic language, and avoid telling a child that wasps want to hurt them. Wasps defend their nest if they feel threatened, and the way to stay safe is to stay away from it. Younger children may need the idea repeated at different times.

It can help to do something practical together, such as drawing the position of the nest on a sketch of the house and marking the no-go area. Children feel more in control when they take part.

Children who feel included are more likely to follow the rules. Give them a job, such as being the one who checks that the side gate is shut.

Clear, short rules

Two or three simple rules are easier to follow than a long list. Make them specific to your house, and show where the boundary is. Children respond well to something they can see, such as a bucket or a chair marking the edge of the area.

• Do not go near the wall where the wasps are.
• Do not throw things at the nest or the gap.
• Walk away slowly if a wasp comes close.
• Tell a grown-up straight away if you see more wasps than usual.
• Keep food and drink away from the area.

Praise children who follow the rules, rather than scolding those who forget.

Remind visiting friends of the rules too. Children at a birthday party or playdate will not know where the nest is, so a gentle word to their parents helps.

Be consistent. A rule that applies on Monday but is forgotten on Tuesday is harder for a child to follow than one that never changes.

Play areas and garden games

Move the paddling pool, trampoline, swing and ball games away from the affected wall for now. Wasps follow the shortest line between the nest and food, so keep snacks and drinks to the other side of the garden, and clear up straight afterwards. If the nest is above a door, use another one, and ask older children not to slam it.

Sticky hands and faces attract wasps, so wipe them after eating. Check that cups have lids and that cans are not left lying about. If a child wants to play in that part of the garden, offer a different activity indoors.

Check the shoes by the back door. Wasps sometimes crawl into trainers and clothing left outside, and a child who pushes a foot in could get a nasty surprise.

Older children may be tempted to investigate with a stick or a ball. Explain that this is the surest way to get stung and that the nest will be dealt with soon.

If a wasp comes near

Teach children to stay still or move away slowly, rather than waving their arms or running. Swatting at a wasp tends to provoke it. If one lands on them, they should keep calm and let it fly off, or ask an adult to brush it gently away.

If a child is stung, wash the area, remove the sting if you can see it and use a cold pack, and comfort them. Swelling of the face, lips or throat, wheezing or difficulty breathing, dizziness or a widespread rash need a 999 call straight away. If a child is known to be allergic, speak to your GP, and tell us when you book.

Stay calm yourself. Children take their cue from the adults around them, and a relaxed response to a wasp teaches them to react the same way.

Wasps are often most noticeable at meals. Eat indoors or at a table far from the nest, and keep a lid on any juice or squash.

The visit, from a child’s point of view

Children are often fascinated when a technician in protective clothing arrives. It helps to tell them in advance that the visit is happening, that they will watch from a window and that the person is there to make the garden safe again. Windows should be shut, and pets kept in.

The technician for Wix will treat the nest at its source and will say when it is safe to go outside again. If a child wants to know about the empty nest, you can ask whether it can be taken down.

A short chat afterwards about what the technician did, in your own words, helps children feel the problem is over. Leave the technical details to the adults.

Do not be surprised if children ask many questions about the wasps. Honest, simple answers are best, and it is fine to say that you will find out together.

Booking and afterwards

Wasp nest treatment costs a fixed £90 per nest with one visit guaranteed, and a second nest on the same property costs £35 more. We are open seven days a week, offer same-day service and cover homes and commercial premises, fully insured. To talk it through or book, call 01245 327274 or complete the online booking form on the contact page and give the address and the side of the building the wasps are using.

Once it is done, mark the day as the day the garden was made safe again, and ask children to help look at the roofline in the spring.

If children will be home during the visit, say so when you book, so the technician knows to expect them at the windows.

Frequently asked questions

More wasp advice for Wix