Where a wasp chooses to nest can vary depending on location and species of wasp. The Eastern Counties team have found them in different environments, including roof spaces, lawns, hedges, Wendy House, and even around garden forks.

Generally, German and Common wasps will build their nests in cavities ranging from houses to the ground. Tree wasps (as the name suggests) make their test from suspended branches or structures out in the open. Although they still sting, they aren’t considered a pest.

Although there are over seven thousand species of wasp in the UK, many of which are solitary, only five are considered pests. These include the German Wasp (Vespula Germanica), Common Wasp (Vespula Vulgaris), Median Wasp (Dolichovepula Media), European Hornet (Vespa Crabro) and Asian Hornet (Vespa Vulutina).

To most of us, wasp stings (as much as they hurt) are just an inconvenience, but to some people, they can cause an allergic reaction, which in some cases can cause some people to go into anaphylactic shock, if left this can be fatal! Unlike bees, wasps can repeatably sting their host.

For most people, stings won’t be a problem and can be treated at home. Make sure that the stinger, if detached, is removed from the wound. You can then apply a sting cream to reduce the itchiness/swelling and take an antihistamine tablet.

If you experience trouble breathing, swelling in the mouth, face or throat, increased heart rate, dizziness or difficulty swallowing, dial 999.
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/insect-bites-and-stings/

No, unlike bees, wasps do not overwinter. At the end of the season, the nest will produce queens that will leave the nest and hibernate in cracks and crevices, to then awake the following year to build a brand new nest. However, the queens may likely return and create a new nest not far from the old one, even in the same building.

This is very much dependent on the individual nest. It isn’t always possible for us to physically remove a nest, so we always come equipped with a host of different techniques to rid you of your wasp infestation. It may be that an insecticidal powder is sprayed into the nest or a freeze spray is used, but our technicians are trained to treat a nest wherever it is!

We often get calls out of season, from people saying they’re finding wasps inside the house. This doesn’t mean you have a nest but instead have queen wasps hibernating somewhere within your house. Wasps overwinter in lofts, cracks and crevices when the temperature falls below 10c. So when you crank up your heating, or we have a warm winter day, queen wasps can wake from their slumber. These can be dealt with using any household fly spray. Wasps don't begin building nests until late May or early June.

The most obvious sign of a wasp nest is many wasps flying to and from a specific area, a sighting of a nest in a loft space or tree. You may also be able to hear a chewing or buzzing noise in the wall cavity or ceiling.

Toward the end of the year, we get many requests for wasp nest removals from trees throughout Essex & Suffolk.

We find that these are often false alarms and tend to be willow trees. Wasps are attracted to the sweet sap that the trees secrete, which is why you get large numbers of wasps congregating on and around them. The same can be said for several other plants that secrete sweet sap.

If there is no sign of a nest and they aren’t flying to and from a single point, this is likely the case.

We have come across many a job where customers have reported a leak/wet patch in their ceiling, in the same area as a wasp nest.

What people are often unaware of is that towards the end of the season, wasp excrement can seep through the ceiling, due to a large build-up, causing what looks to be a leak in the ceiling.

So be careful next time you think about sticking your finger through a wet patch.

We offer wasp nest control treatments throughout Essex & Suffolk.