Where Chelsea and Ladbroke Grove's Wasps Nest
Under the eaves of Chelsea's terraced roofs
Chelsea's rows of terraced houses share the kind of tiled, guttered roofline that wasps favour — a dry cavity behind the fascia board, reached through a small gap that's easy to miss from the ground. Once a nest is established there, the workers use the same entry point for the rest of the season, which is usually the first sign anyone in the house notices, long before the nest itself is visible.
Sheds and mature planting off Ladbroke Grove
The gardens behind the terraces near Ladbroke Grove, and the mature shrubs and mews-side sheds that go with them, give wasps plenty of quieter alternatives to a roofline. A nest built low in a shed or under dense planting can go unnoticed for weeks, since there's less foot traffic to disturb it, until a resident gets close enough to trigger a defensive response.
Signs to Look For
- A grey, papery nest the size of a football or larger, usually by late summer
- Wasps repeatedly entering and leaving one spot — a loft vent, eave or air brick
- A low buzzing or rustling sound from inside a wall, loft or shed
- More wasps than usual around bins, fruit trees or open windows
After a Chelsea or Ladbroke Grove Nest Is Treated
Wasps don't reuse an old nest, so once it's dead it can usually be left in place rather than removed.
