Wasp nests
Where Wasps Nest Around a Totteridge Property
Queen wasps look for a dry, sheltered cavity in spring, and outbuildings supply plenty. The house itself has its own share of eaves and dormers, but many nests on these plots are in buildings that are used less, where nobody notices the first few wasps.
Stables and field shelters
Timber stable blocks have deep overhangs, gaps under the ridge and open rafters in the roof. Wasps also scrape weathered wood from stable doors and fencing to make the paper for their nests, so a yard full of timber is attractive twice over. A nest above a stable door is a real problem where horses are going in and out.
Pool houses and summerhouses
Pool houses and summerhouses are shut for much of the year, then used every day in summer, just as nests reach full size. Wasps build behind timber cladding, under the eaves and in the roof space above changing rooms. Wasps drinking at the pool edge do not always mean a nest close by, but a steady line of them flying to one point does.
Garages, stores and hedges
Garden stores and garage roofs, compost bays and dense boundary hedges all hold nests. Ground nests in banks and rough grass at the edge of a paddock are easy to hit with a mower. Where wasps build nests covers the full range.
The eaves and dormers of the main house
The house itself is not left out. Dormer cheeks, the soffits of later wings and the valleys where two roofs meet all have joints that open with age, and a nest in the roof over a guest wing can grow unnoticed when the rooms below are empty. Wasp nests in the loft covers what to do if you find one in a roof space.
Is It a Wasp Nest?
A regular stream of wasps flying in and out of the same gap is the clearest sign. How to know you have a wasp nest explains what to look for. Bees are treated differently, so if the insects are round and furry, see wasp nest or bee nest first.
What to Do Until the Nest Is Treated
- Keep people, dogs and horses away from the entrance, and move horses to another stable if the nest is by the door
- Do not block the hole, as wasps will chew a new way out, sometimes into a room
- Do not spray or knock down a nest from a ladder or a stable roof
- Keep the pool house or store closed if the nest is inside it
- Mark a ground nest so nobody mows over it
A sting is painful but usually passes. For a reaction that worries you, speak to a pharmacist or GP, and call 999 for signs of a severe allergic reaction such as swelling of the face or throat or difficulty breathing. If a horse or dog has been stung several times, speak to your vet.
Booking Wasp Nest Removal in N20
When you book, say which building the nest is in, how high it is, and how to reach it from the drive. Tell us about horses in the yard and dogs in the grounds, and have keys ready for the pool house or store. You will be told what to expect once the nest has been treated. How long wasp treatment takes to work explains why some activity can carry on for a short time afterwards.
Checking the Outbuildings Earlier Next Year
Nests start small in spring. Opening the pool house, stable roof space and garden store in late spring and looking along the eaves is the easiest way to find one before it is large. Other insects in outbuildings are covered by spider control in Totteridge, and old nests in roof spaces can lead to carpet beetles. For wasps across the borough, see Wasp Nest Removal Barnet.
