The wasp year
A colony lasts one season. In autumn it raises new queens and males, which leave the nest and mate. The old queen and the workers die off as the weather turns cold. Only the new, mated queens survive the winter, tucked away in sheds, log piles, curtains and loft timbers — not in the old nest. In spring each one starts a new nest from scratch.
Why the same nest does not come back
Once treated, the colony dies out, and a dead nest is not recolonised. Even an untreated nest is abandoned at the end of the season. If you see wasps using the same entrance in a steady line within a few days of treatment, that is a different matter: tell us, because if the nest is still active within 30 days, we come back at no extra cost.
Why a new nest may appear in the same place
A new queen looks for the same things the last one did: a sheltered gap, warmth and nearby food. If the gap under the tiles or behind the fascia is still open, it is still attractive. Some houses see a nest in a similar spot every few years for exactly that reason.
Closing the gaps — at the right time
- Wait until the nest has been inactive for some weeks; winter is the best time
- Repair slipped tiles, damaged soffits and open joints in fascia boards
- Repoint worn mortar and fit fine mesh behind air brick grilles
- Fit caps or guards to unused chimneys
- Seal gaps around pipes and cables where they pass through walls
Many of the same repairs keep rodents out as well — see rat proofing and rodent proofing in Brent.
Around the garden
Clean out bird boxes in autumn once any birds have finished, keep shed and garage doors closed, and fill hollows under loose paving. Look over the property in late April and May, when nests are still small — the signs of a wasp nest are easier to spot before the colony grows.
Houses that see more nests
Detached and semi-detached houses with long eaves, like many in Kenton and Kingsbury, and houses backing onto parks or allotments, tend to see nests more often. It is not a sign of anything wrong with the house.
If wasps are back next summer
Each new nest is a new job at the standard price: £90 fixed price for wasp nest removal in Brent. Book early if you can — a small nest in June is easier to deal with than a large one in September. Where wasps like to build is covered in where wasps build nests.
