North Hampshire/Surrey

Paul Sweet
Mob: 07810 688 620

South West Hampshire

Philip Tarrant
Mob: 07702 085 605

Questions & answers about wasp nests

Laurence Hall asked:

I have a large Hornet's nest (2.5ft x 1.5ft) inside the ridge of my roof space, too high up to reach. Large quantities of Hornets died off during October and November, the last living ones seen at the end of Nov. There is no activity I can see now. The house is in France and we have recently suffered temperatures of -10. Is this nest dead, and should we try to remove it before Spring? What action can we take to prevent a new nest being built next to or near this one? Thanks in advance!

This question was asked on 2010-01-12

Paul Sweet replied:

Hi Laurence, what you have witnessed is normal, the hornets die off through the autumn, and the new queens leave the nest to hibernate, once this has happened then that is the end of that nest. Most nests die off by late November/early December; only a huge nest will survive until the end of December. Your nest will be dead now, and you have a choice of leaving it where it is (they won't use it again, and over a year or two it will degrade and fall off on its own) or if it is bothering you then you can knock it down now without worrying about getting attacked. The only advice I can give to prevent further nests being built in your loft is: try and block up all entrances where they can get in. A monumental task granted, but it is the only way that you can stop this from happening again. Don't forget that a wasp or hornet can squeeze through the smallest of gaps. I hope this helps. Regards Paul Sweet.

This reply was made on 2010-01-12

David White asked:

I have found a nest in an area of my loft,the nest is not easy to get to. I can see the nest in between a fake ceiling. there are a few dead wasps above the nest area. the reason I went in to the loft to look about is because at night I sometimes hear humming sounds,directly above. is it possible at this time of year they can make a noise? what can I do to find out if its active, one way or another? and if so get rid of the nest.

This question was asked on 2009-12-01

Paul Sweet replied:

Hi David, take another look at the nest, and watch it for a while, if you cannot see any live wasps walking about on the nest, the chances are that it is dead. Most nests at this time of year have died off anyway, only really huge nests stand a chance of still being active. If you cannot see any live wasps, forget about it, it won't be re-used and will fall apart over time. Regards Paul Sweet

This reply was made on 2009-12-01

Daryl M. asked:

Hi Paul, I'm from Pa.I have two questions. 1. Why is it when I mow my lawn, the hornets will not bother me, but when I look directly at the nest, they will attack? 2. I recently removed the hornets nest and opened it up. I found a couple of different sized bees hibernating inside of it. One was very small and is still alive and crawling around in a glass jar. The bigger ones seem like they are still hibernating. What do I have here?

This question was asked on 2009-11-28

Paul Sweet replied:

Hi Daryl, Very often Hornets are not that aggressive and in my experience, they are nowhere near as bad as regular wasps. You can get away with mowing your lawn, and they won't bother you. However, if you approach their nest or interfere with it in any way, then this could provoke a defensive response. I am not sure what the bees are without seeing them, and I am also unsure of the different types of bees that you guys get over in the states. They could be solitary bees that happen to have chosen your hornet nest to hibernate in. Do a google image search and see if you can identify what they are. Regards Paul Sweet

This reply was made on 2009-11-29
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Our fee for treating a Wasp or Hornet nest is a straight forward £65.00. This cost includes all the expenses associated with the treatment, such as callouts, climbing ladders, working in lofts, and any essential treatments. There are no hidden costs, and we want to ensure that you know exactly what you will be paying for our services.

If you've discovered additional nests on your property, we can treat them during the same visit for an extra £15.00 per nest. This offer is only applicable if treated at the time of the original callout. So, if you have multiple nests on your property, call us, and we can discuss a fixed price to handle all the nests in a single visit.

We are certified and fully insured professionals, and all our work comes with a guarantee. Payment is due upon completing the job, and please note that we do not accept bank transfers. Additionally, no value-added tax (VAT) is applied to our charges.

Please ensure that you have correctly identified the species of flying insect causing concern before contacting us. If you are not certain, you can send us a clear photo, and we will be happy to assist in identifying the issue. Alternatively, you can call us, and we will discuss the problem and provide advice.

We strongly advise against using proprietary products you may have purchased to treat the nest, as this action can often lead to disastrous consequences. If you decide to embark upon this often hazardous endeavor, please do not call us to sort out the frequently dangerous aftermath.

Please do not contact us for any issues related to bees, as we do not provide treatment for any bee species.

When you book our services, we will assign you an approximate morning or afternoon time slot. We promise to be there as scheduled and kindly request that you be present at home to ensure a smooth process.

For safety reasons, we recommend keeping children and pets indoors and closing windows and doors during and for several hours after treatment. Please keep in mind that we work weekends, so if you discover a nest in your garden during the weekend (Saturday or Sunday), give us a call, and we will make every effort to respond to your situation as soon as possible.

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