Please allow a minimum of 14 days to action a secondary treatment unless otherwise stated by your pest controller. You may still see wasps during this time. Do not leave for longer 21 days to contact your pest controller. In other words please contact during the 3rd week past treatment.
Don't worry if you are still seeing wasps, as long as you're seeing a decline then the treatment should be working as expected. It can take up to 14 days for a colony to die off completely. Some are much faster and die within 2 hours whereas more complex issues might need additional treatment which incur additional costs. Please note, (see size chart below) If the nest is reasonably small and accessible it may be dead within a couple of hours however, if it is a medium to large nest and / or in an awkward location it may take notably longer to die of. In some cases it may need further treatments which will incur additional costs. Weather can affect treatments - during heavy or moderate rain your appointment may need to be changed, equipment used to administer insecticides can clog and treatments can be less effective. Light rain and drizzle should be fine.
If you have any queries during this time please text message your pest controller and he will call you back ASAP as he will likely be on another job. If wasps are getting into your property please read through the sections called Pests in your property and Risk reduction
UK law has changed, insecticides used to treat wasp nests have been reduced by 50% in strength. Two or three visits may be needed depending on size and location of the infestation to eradicate the nest fully. If the actual nest is visible we can use alternative solutions which are guaranteed in just one visit. Protocols must be followed after treatment.
Initial treatment
During treatment wasps can be highly aggressive with many swarming, the majority of wasps defending the colony will stay close to the entry point but some will try to find the source of the attack and defend. It is strongly advised to stay indoors whilst the treatment is carried out and to keep a safe distance from the nest. Keep windows, doors and vents closed.
These wasps are likely to stay close to the entry point for a while. This can be hundreds of very aggressive wasps depending on the size of the colony.
This is the normal flow of treatment phases
Next couple of Hours
During the next couple of hours worker wasps will return from foraging, increasing the number of wasps collecting at the point of treatment, due to distress smells and chemicals left over form the wasps defending the nest they still surviving wasps are highly likely to be more aggressive will help defend the threat,
There should be a good decline of wasps seen on the outside of their entry point as they either die off or return to normal duties now the initial threat of the pest controller treating the nest has passed. As an example the decline should be around 20% or less of initial activity
You may still see wasps for a few days but reducing - if there is zero decline after 4 to 5 days text message your pest controller and they will call you back ASAP. Please text rather than call as we can get extremely busy and maybe on a roof. A further treatment may be required.
After a few days to 2 weeks
As the days go by there will be a considerable decline in wasp activity and there should be no sign after 2 weeks. Do not worry if you see the occasional wasp, this is usually due to foraging wasps investigating as they are attracted to the smell of the dying nest.
It is also important to note that from time to time eggs hatch and new wasps will emerge the insecticide stays active for a longtime - these newly hatched wasps should soon touch the insecticide and die off.
After 2 weeks
If after 2 weeks you are still seeing a number of wasps coming and going then you will proabably need a further treatment which will incur an additional cost.
If only one or two wasps then it may just need a few more days
Golf ball = 1-30 wasps
Tennis Ball = 30 - 200 wasps
Grapefruit = 200-500
Football = 500 - 1500
Basketball = 1500 - 3000
Beach Ball > 3000 - 5000
Larger than Beach ball 5000 - 50000+
Monitor the area for a few days only if at a safe distance - do not monitor if you are unsure of your safety - there should be a notable decline.
To avoid future invasions it is advised to seal entry holes to the nesting area but only when wasps are not prevalent.
DO NOT SEAL WASPS IN.
If wasps come into the house, seal access points, such as sides of attic hatches, gaps 2mm or more (occasionally smaller), air vents, holes around piping, gaps in flooring, anywhere where a chink of light which might shine through and be a likely entry point. Check ceiling lights and loose fixtures amongst others. Wasps can chew through certain materials.
Keep people, children and pets away as wasps can attack, particularly if feeling threatened. A sting can cause allergic reactions. In some cases anaphylaxis, which can be fatal. In the event of an emergency contact 999 ASAP.
Wasp colonies have a 1 year life cycle, the queen will start the cycle by constructing the start of the nest with about 30 cells and then laying eggs into these cells. Once the eggs have hatched and the wasp grubs have metamorphosised into young worker wasps the queen will resort to egg laying duties only. The wasps then take care of building new cells and expanding the nest
Wasp colonies in the UK, including common (Vespula vulgaris) and German wasps (Vespula germanica), have a hierarchical structure:
Queen: The sole reproductive female, managing the colony and laying eggs. Lifespan: Up tp 1 year. The queen will be produced around September, hibernate and emerge April/May to start constructing a new nest. She in turn will produce new queens and drones for the following year before she dies.
Workers: All worker wasps are sterile females responsible for foraging and caring for the young. Lifespan: 2-4 weeks. New workers are produced far faster than the lifespan allowing the nest to grow quickly.
Drones: Males are produced the same time as future queens. Their only purpose is to mate with queens from other nests, they do not contribute to the nest in any way. Once mated the drone will die
Lifespan: 2 to 3 weeks.
At season's end, the colony dies off, except for future queens that will start new colonies / nests in late spring.
Wasps will never use an old nest, however they can build new nests right next to old nests and use the same entry points giving the appearance that wasps have come back. This will always be a new nest.
After treatment of a wasp nest, a quiet period often occurs as the treatment affects the wasps. However, survivors may return for several reasons:
Surviving Wasps: Some may have been outside the nest for longer than normal during treatment. Shut in homes, sheds etc
New Wasps: Remaining larvae can mature, causing renewed activity. No treatment available will kill the eggs and they can still hatch. However these new wasps will soon be contaminated by the insecticide.
Pheromones: Other wasps may detect pheromones (smells) indicating there is a nest present.
Nest Size: Larger nests will take longer to fully eradicate. If conditions are right and there's space to build the nests can grow to huge structures. The size of a car is not uncommon.
Treatments
The insecticide will still be active. In most cases the emerging wasps will touch the insecticide and die off
You must allow a minimum of 14 days before actioning an additional call out for the treated colony unless otherwise stated by the pest controller. Repeated treatments may be necessary for complete elimination and incur additonal costs.
within 21 days
Old wasp nests can leave behind pheromones that attract other wasps. These lingering chemicals signal to new queens that the site may be suitable for establishing a new colony. Additionally, the scent can provoke aggressive behavior in wasps that recognize it, increasing the likelihood of them defending the area. Caution is advised around old nests, as they can draw in wasps looking to settle.
Reduced Airflow: Bee colonies / wasp nests can clog the chimney flue and vents, leading to insufficient ventilation and potentially trapping dangerous combustion gases, such as carbon monoxide, inside the home. This can be fatal. If the wasp nest is in a standard air brick with no appliance vent it will not be fatal but needs treatment
High Risk of being attacked do not remove the internal vents. Wasptec povide a variety of removal services and methods to help future proof your home. Contact your pest controller for more info.
If the wasp nest is in an air vent, it’s crucial to seal the back of the vent to prevent insecticide and wasps from entering your home. Here’s how to do it: ONLY DO IF SAFE
Make sure everything is tightly sealed to avoid any leakage.
Keep in mind high risk areas such kitchen /bathroom etc
Wrap at least a double layer of tinfoil over the back of the air vent, ensuring there are minimal gaps. Be careful not to rip the foil.
Masking Tape
Masking Tape: Use masking tape to seal any gaps around the edges of the tinfoil to ensure no insecticide escapes into the house.
Alternative Method
You can also cut a piece of card (such as from a cereal box) to the size of the vent. Cover the back of the vent with this card and seal the edges with strong masking tape, making sure it is secure and there are no gaps for insecticide to pass through.
Reduced Airflow: Bee colonies / wasp nests can clog the chimney flue and vents, leading to insufficient ventilation and potentially trapping dangerous combustion gases, such as carbon monoxide, inside the home. This can be fatal. DO NOT use fires or appliances that need the vents and chimneys to release gasess and / or need tohem for ventialtion. The nest might be blocking the or reducing the air flow which can cause harmful gasses to build up. In exterme cases this can be fatal. In addtion, the reduced airflow can cause damage to your aplinaces, cause over heating, fire etc.
DO NOT USE until confimred safe to do so by a qualified professional. Keep in mind if not treated, removed or erdacted etc, the nest will contine to grow leading to increased risks.
High Risk Reduced Airflow: Bee colonies / wasp nests can clog the chimney flue, vents, extractors leading to insufficient ventilation and potentially trapping dangerous combustion gases, such as carbon monoxide, inside the home.
This can be fatal.
Damage can also be caused to appliances causing pressure build up, explosion, fire and a variety of other high risk situations. DO NOT USE until confirmed safe by a suitable professional.
To help reduce the risk of wasps you can make a wasp trap. This youtube video shows you how. Place traps in the garden , attic, shed etc.
High Risk Bee colonies / wasp nests can squeeze thorugh tiny gaps - wasps can chew through certain materials such as plasterboard.
It is not uncommon to have a number of nest on your property. These can emerge over the course of the season. If additional nests are on the property they are treated at a good discounted rate subject to location, size, accessibility etc .
However, if you are unfortunately home to other wasps after the first nest has been treated - this is also and addiotnal treatment cost.
Wasps spread from house to house and it is not uncommon for a queen flyng past your house to pick up on the smeel of your dead nest.
WhilTo help reduce the risk of secondary wasp nests where possible remove the nest. Wasp nests have a smell that can attartact other wasps. However, while removing the nest can reduce your risk of a reinvasion - if wasps want to move into your property - theres not much to stop them.
While we appreciate wasps in the property can be very disconcerting there are things that you need to do to reduce the risks of them entering.
In general the proccess is very similar to that of bees and we strongly advise you to read through the section called Pests in your property and Risk reduction