EEK.. A Wasps Nest

[sweetiepea]

DS has just discovered a wasps nest in his 'house'. It's not as big as a football yet but its getting there! How do I get rid of it safely? There are loads of wasps in the vacinity and I don't fancy taking on an angry mob. Help please.

[FB.]

Get a professional to deal with it if it's worryingly large.
What size has the nest reached and how many wasps are flying in-and-out?

[Alice]

The only safe way to deal with it Sweetiepea is to call in the professionals.

If it's actually in the house the council will probably do it for free.
If it's outside then you have to pay. I think about £25 is the going rate.

[sweetiepea]

It's in DS wooden house in the garden. We had a small nest in the compost bin last year, but it was small enough for me to take care of and there were only a couple of wasps. This one is about 10 - 15cm. Unfortunately the council wouldn't be interested.

[FB.]

My only recommendation is to get professionals to deal with it, for the safety of everyone concerned.

But several ideas come into my head.....

Is it not possible to safely seal off the "wooden house" (after dark is safer), to prevent any further entry or exit by the wasps. After a couple of weeks, they will have starved.

Apart from that, you might be able (again after dark and with good preparation and someone to help) to screw a bucket to the ceiling to trap the wasp nest inside - then let them starve for a couple of weeks.

In attempting to deal with the nest, those wasps could get really pi$$ed off and things could get very nasty or even fatal for someone.

Bear in mind that wasps and bees are far more likely to attack if you are in the flight path that they use to approach and leave the nest. When I was at college, the biology teachers kept bees and we could sit beside or on top of the hives without attracting attention. As soon as anyone went in the path of the nest entrance (with safety clothing), the guards came out to see what was going on and soon you would be under attack by ever-increasing numbers of bees as word passed through the beehive.

The mentions above are not advice, merely my wafflings on ways that I might go about removing a small nest from my property. I do not recommend that anyone considers my crazy ideas - get a professional, that's what they're paid and trained for.

.

[lynda66]

the council should have a pest control department??

but if not i found a few for you council pest control county louth ireland - Google Search

definitely best to get someone in

[OverWyreGrower]

The Council will come and do it for you, for a small fee... if you can't get them to come out, ring Rentokil or whoever.

We had a wasp attack last year, ended up in A&E. OH had a broken foot and I'd been stung in the eyes.

[sweetiepea]

Thanks guys. I've made a few phone calls there's someone coming out tomorrow.

Got a shock this morning. The nest is built just inside, and is suspended from, the inner doorframe - just a child level! I have no idea how DS avoided being hit in the face with it. He usually barges into the house! Thankfully the door opens outwards so it wasn't knocked down when it opened.

[frias]

A few years ago we had one in the loft. My OH decied he would tackle it with creosote as this is supposed to kill them. He covered himself in a net curtain and went up the ladder with his sprayer. Wasps got very angry and got up under the curtain, OH got stung and next doors house got sprayed with creosote. I nearly wet myself laughing! Anyway we then had to paint next doors house, several times to get rid of creosote stains. It is best to get the professionals in.

[lynda66]

thanks for that frias ...... *falls off chair giggling*

good news sweetiepea glad you decided to get someone in .... they aren't nice when they are cross xx

[NOG]

We had them in the eves of our house once. I went to work and asked Mrs Nog to sort it out. Come home from work and she gives me a tin of spray and says I have to go up a ladder and put the nozzel in the hole and spray for 30 secs. "but be careful as it upsets them!!!!! and if they have another entry to the next they will swarm out".

I asked why she hadn't got the Wasp Dude in she says he wanted £45 and the tin of spray was only £7.......

She wasn't happy when I said I knew of another hole that I was going to spary the tube in unless she got the dude round.

[Madasafish]

I have moved several wasps nests - even one from our eves about 10 metres high.


Firstly do nothing in the day when wasps are active.

ONLY work when it is dark.

What I did was wrap up well with no exposed flesh: I wear a hat, gloves, protective goggles and facemask.

No exposed skin, no clothes which are not fastened - to avoid wasps crawling under clothes.Thick rubber gloves.Thick clothes to avoid stings through clothes - I prefer overalls which can be buttoned up and tucked into rubber boots so no access through trouser legs.

Use an old plastic sack with a large entrance and no holes , take some twine with you cut so it can be used to tie the sack closed.

Take a friends with a torch - suitably dressed, or place a light shining on the nest. Prop the sack open or get friend to open it. Hold it under nest - as close as possible. With a small spade, or large knife or other suitable instrument slowly break nest's attachment to whatever it is attached to .

Let it fall in sack.
Tie string around sack neck.

Job done..

There will always be a few surplus wasps around.. I sprayed the nest site with wasp killer.

Leave sack outside and place in sun: wasps cooked.

Note the many precautions: not a job for those who are asthmatic, or panicky or scared of wasps. You need cool nerves and a helper who helps and does not panic.

When I did it in the eaves outside, I was up a ladder so OH shone torch and I sprayed the outside of the nest first with wasp killer to reduce risk of wasp bites BEFORE touching the nest: and then left it 10 minutes for wasps to calm down..

Warning: do it in a hurry and you'll make a mistake: you do NOT want a wasps' nest on the ground rather than in the sack.


So far , touch wood, never been stung .

[taskey]

after being woken up by a couple of magpies at 4.45 this morning i have found a wasps nest outside our bedroom window.

i have called our housing bloke and he is getting someone round

will have to sleep with the window shut now - might get a lie in if we don't hear the magpies

Tracy

[Paulottie]

I thought the council charged these days....certainly do round here.

unless they are a pain I leave them alone but on the few occasions I have had to deal with a nest I find covering up my face, working at night and using foam or powder at the entrance is pretty effective.

Seem to have had a few hornets about this year which sounds more scary!

[Matt.]

We had a wasp attack last year, ended up in A&E. OH had a broken foot and I'd been stung in the eyes.

Those are mean wasps that can break someones foot!