Why it is not instant
At any moment during the day, a large share of the colony is out foraging. Those wasps do not know anything has happened. They come back to the nest over the following hours, go in through the entrance, and come into contact with the treatment. That is why activity tails off rather than stopping at once.
The first few hours
Straight after treatment you may see more wasps around the entrance than before, and they may look agitated or fly erratically. This is normal. Keep windows near the nest closed, keep people and pets away from the flight path, and do not stand and watch close to the hole.
The following day or so
Activity usually drops away noticeably over the day or so after the visit, as returning wasps enter the nest. A few stragglers may still be seen around the entrance, sluggish or on the ground nearby. Wasps that were far from the nest may turn up for a little while longer.
Leave the entrance open
It is tempting to fill the hole as soon as possible. Do not. Returning wasps need to get back inside so they come into contact with the treatment, and a blocked entrance can push them to find another way out — through a wall into a room, for example. Leave it alone until the nest has been inactive for some time.
Dead wasps indoors
With a loft or wall nest, some dead or dying wasps may turn up on windowsills, landings or the floor under a light fitting. Sweep them up with a dustpan rather than picking them up by hand; a dying wasp can still sting.
When to call us back
If wasps are still flying in and out of the same entrance in a steady line after a few days, tell us. The wasp nest price is guaranteed: if the nest is still active within 30 days, we come back at no extra cost. Call the Brent wasp team on 0800 955 2347.
What happens to the nest
The dead nest can be left in place. Wasps do not move back into an old nest — but a new queen may choose a similar spot next spring. See will wasps return after treatment for how to make that less likely, and how to spot a new nest early.
Booking
Book wasp nest removal for £90 fixed price per standard nest. If there is more than one nest on the property, tell us when you book. The full service is on the wasp nest removal Brent page.
