Wasps nest! To treat or leave that is the question.

[Profpointy]

I once found a large wasps' nest in the attic. I told my ex Mrs about it and said I was off to B&Q for a can of that spray stuff to get rid of it. I was forbidden to do any such thing, and she said she'd get the council pest control
people involved. She duly phoned them up and the lady on the other end said "why don't you just get a can of that wasp killer stuff from B&Q". Psyched myself up to deal with it having seen and heard stories of angry wasps previously. Clear run in the loft to the ladder, all doors open including the back door to the garden. Right; get ready, close enough to get a hit with first spray, but far enough to get a head start. Sprayed the nest which instantly disintegrated, and ran like hell out of the house, heart beat at 200. Listened for a bit; no angry buzzing, pause, stuck my head in the door, again silence. Nervously went back in, even up the ladder to the loft; again silence. Turned out they'd all cleared off previously and the nest was abandoned, so all that adrenaline was unecessary. It seems wasps build a new nest and colony each summer, but over winter they all die off except the queens who make a fresh start the next year

 

[november4]

I've done the same can remedy at night, but wearing coverals, gloves etc ..... takes the jeopardy away...

We used to live in a place that had a lot more wasps and homes and shops would have a brown paper bag hanging in porch area, they think it's another colony and don't come in doors....balloon inside or go full blue Peter.. paper mache, fun project for kids

 

[rockyroller]

I once found a large wasps' nest in the attic. I told my ex Mrs about it and said I was off to B&Q for a can of that spray stuff to get rid of it. I was forbidden to do any such thing, and she said she'd get the council pest control
people involved. She duly phoned them up and the lady on the other end said "why don't you just get a can of that wasp killer stuff from B&Q". Psyched myself up to deal with it having seen and heard stories of angry wasps previously. Clear run in the loft to the ladder, all doors open including the back door to the garden. Right; get ready, close enough to get a hit with first spray, but far enough to get a head start. Sprayed the nest which instantly disintegrated, and ran like hell out of the house, heart beat at 200. Listened for a bit; no angry buzzing, pause, stuck my head in the door, again silence. Nervously went back in, even up the ladder to the loft; again silence. Turned out they'd all cleared off previously and the nest was abandoned, so all that adrenaline was unecessary. It seems wasps build a new nest and colony each summer, but over winter they all die off except the queens who make a fresh start the next year

at least you didn't trip & fall & break a leg, eh?

 

[rockyroller]

new news story here:

Medway, Ashland and Marblehead all experienced insect issues that led them to close down spots around town

 

[Gillstay]

Summers over..... So they will be gone soon. Why bother.

 

[ianpallen]

Summers over..... So they will be gone soon. Why bother.

We got about two weeks of summer left yet. Autumn is not until around September 23 - 25th

 

[slowmotion]

Wasps get pissed on fermenting fruit at this time of year. As a result, they are even nastier bastards than usual. Leave well alone until they get slightly less mean..........




........then strike!

 

[CXRAndy]

I've got some roof work that needs attention. I'm going to smoke them out in the evening tomorrow

 

[Accy cyclist]

On about wasps, is it me or are there not many about this year? The same for bees, I've hardly seen any. Even flies, where are all these insects??!! I know wasps and flies are annoying, but I kind of miss those battles we have with them! I've only had one solitary fly in my flat this year. It was one of those that keep landing on you and drive you crazy. They normally last about 3 to 4 days, but the one I've had so far landed on me once in one day and hasn't been seen since.

 

[Accy cyclist]

No moths either. I hope I'm not tempting fate!

 

[Electric_Andy]

We've had plenty of flies in the house. No wasps yet, but I haven't really been anywhere to see them e.g near bins at tourist attractions

 

[Kingfisher101]

Bit early for wasps, there usually are more about late summer time. We have loads of bees in the garden as I have loads of flowers.

 

[alicat]

I once found a large wasps' nest in the attic. I told my ex Mrs about it and said I was off to B&Q for a can of that spray stuff to get rid of it. I was forbidden to do any such thing, and she said she'd get the council pest control
people involved. She duly phoned them up and the lady on the other end said "why don't you just get a can of that wasp killer stuff from B&Q". Psyched myself up to deal with it having seen and heard stories of angry wasps previously. Clear run in the loft to the ladder, all doors open including the back door to the garden. Right; get ready, close enough to get a hit with first spray, but far enough to get a head start. Sprayed the nest which instantly disintegrated, and ran like hell out of the house, heart beat at 200. Listened for a bit; no angry buzzing, pause, stuck my head in the door, again silence. Nervously went back in, even up the ladder to the loft; again silence. Turned out they'd all cleared off previously and the nest was abandoned, so all that adrenaline was unecessary. It seems wasps build a new nest and colony each summer, but over winter they all die off except the queens who make a fresh start the next year

I'm feeling grateful that it was my plumber who found the nest and we just threw it away!

 

[presta]

I'm feeling grateful that it was my plumber who found the nest and we just threw it away!

My father picked up a bees nest and threw it on a pile of garden rubbish without realising what it was. The bees didn't seem to realise they'd moved home either.

 

[Time Waster]

Wasps are about I got rid of one in the summerhouse a month or so ago. A little paper wasp nest hanging from the ceiling. There weren't many wasps around and it was so small as to be a starter one. We picked the best time and destroyed it once we believed the wasps were out.

They generally out and about doing their thing right now. You won't have much issue with them until late summer. AIUI theey do their reproducing early summer and late summer they then fly from their nests and look for late summer fruits to gorge themselves on to try and survive through winter. Or something like that. Basically late summer from maybe mid august onwards they see BBQ food and similar as eassy food and that is when they get noticed more and become an problem for us humans.T

hey are however an important species to have so if possible it is always better not to kill them and destroy nests at this time of the year. This is not always right for our own safety and wellbeing though so If really necessary it is best to get professionals in if it is large or difficult to access or fully target. Easy ones you can buy wasp killer foam. Spray the opening and then the rest. AIUI the wasps will try to evacuate the nest and in doing so spread the death causing nerve agent in the foam into the nest. You may well see a few dead ones around the site afterwards but most should have flown off.

Try to identify the wasps afterwards. I think there might be citizen science projects related to them that you might want to contribute to. Bees and wasps are both very important to us and the natural world. We might all like bees but not many like wasps. I think wasps are not doing so well neither. BTW I hate wasps as I had one fly into my glasses and land on the glass when I was very young. At one point it crawled over my closed eyelid. They have not been my favourite thing ever since!!