Wasp nests
Garden Nests Close to Mill Hill Houses
The woodland edge described on Pest Control Mill Hill gives queen wasps a lot of choice in spring. Around the houses themselves, a few places come up again and again, and they are worth knowing because each carries its own risk of disturbing the nest by accident.
Hedges and shrubs
Dense boundary hedges of laurel, privet, beech or yew hide a nest well. Some wasps build a papery nest hanging among the branches; others use a cavity at the base. It can sit a metre from a path and go unseen until the hedge trimmer reaches it, and that is when people get stung.
Old trees and bird boxes
A hollow in an old fruit tree, a split in a trunk or an empty bird box on a fence post all make a dry, enclosed space. Bird boxes are easy to forget about, and a nest inside one on a tree by the patio can mean wasps crossing the seating area all summer.
Banks, rockeries and retaining walls
The stepped gardens on the slopes have dry banks, rockeries and gaps behind retaining walls, and wasps use old mouse holes and loose stonework as a starting point. Nests in the ground covers what to do if you find one underfoot.
The house as well
The older roofs near The Ridgeway still have their share of nests in eaves, chimneys and lofts. Where wasps build nests around houses runs through the spots on the building itself.
How to Tell Where the Nest Is
- Watch on a warm afternoon for a steady line of wasps flying in and out of one spot
- Listen near the hedge base or bank for a low hum
- Check bird boxes for wasps coming and going instead of birds
- Look for a grey papery ball among branches after the leaves thin
- Note where they go at the end of the day, when traffic back to the nest is heaviest
If you are not sure whether you have wasps or bees, telling a wasp nest from a bee nest helps. Bumblebees often nest in banks and compost heaps too.
What to Do Until It Is Treated
- Put off hedge cutting, mowing or strimming near the nest
- Keep children and pets away from that part of the garden
- Do not block the entrance or spray it; wasps come out angry and may find another way
- Keep sweet drinks and fruit covered when eating outside in late summer
- If someone is stung and has trouble breathing or swelling of the face or throat, call 999
For a sting without those signs, a pharmacist can advise. Late in the season wasps become more of a nuisance, which why wasps are more aggressive in late summer explains.
Booking a Wasp Visit in NW7
When you book, say where the nest is (hedge, tree, bank, bird box, eaves or loft), roughly how high, and how to get to it. If it is at the top of garden steps or behind a shed, say so. If it is on a neighbour's side of the hedge, or on open land beyond the fence, the owner will need to agree before it can be treated.
Wasps usually carry on flying for a while after treatment. If the nest is still active within 30 days, we come back at no extra cost. How long treatment takes to work says what to expect in the meantime.
Next Summer
An old nest is not reused, but the same hedge or bank can attract a new queen. Look over hedges, bird boxes and banks in May, when a new nest is still small, and trim hedges earlier in the season where you can. For wasps across the borough, see Wasp Nest Removal Barnet, and for other insects drawn to the garden, ant control and spider control in Mill Hill.
