Wasps

How do I know I have a wasp nest?

If you see wasps entering & leaving a hole in the ground, a wall, roof or any other part of a building between May & November then you probably have a wasp nest.

Do not be tempted to block the hole up, this will make them angry and aggressive but will not kill the nest, they will find another entrance. Some species of wasps will build outside in bushes and trees. You will see a grey or brown structure made of a paper mache type material. Wasps are aggressive and will sting readily if they think the nest is in danger.

Why should a wasp nest be treated?

If you don't treat a wasp nest it will eventually die out but before this happens the nest will produce approximately 100 fertile Queens that will hibernate and start nests the following year. Wasp nests can stain ceilings and even eat through them in some instances. Every year there are deaths from wasp stings. Although they do some good by feeding on flies, caterpillars and other insects the wasp numbers are probably artificially high because buildings supply unlimited nest sites which in purely natural conditions would be restricted to caves, hollow trees and other natural cavities. They cause massive amount of damage to fruits in the Autumn.

Treatment

The wasp nest will be treated using an insecticide called 'FICAM D* which contains the chemical Bendiocarb 1% w/w. This is a modern biodegradable insecticide that is not highly toxic to mammals, but is extremely so to the hymenopterous group of insects (Wasps, Bees and Ants). The entrance to the nest or the nest itself will be treated using this insecticide.

What do I need to do afterwards?

After treatment the nest will remain in a hyperactive state for up to 3 hrs, but usually Wasp activity ceases much sooner. The 3 main points to remember are: 1- A treated nest cannot ever be reused.
2- A Wasp nest cannot move its location, once started it is there for the duration of its life (7-8 months), nor can Wasps move from one nest to another.
3- All nests start in the Spring, never later than May but the expanding populations are not often noticed until much later in the year. The population expands from 1, when the nest starts up in the Spring, to around 10 000 in the Autumn. The nest itself is made of a substance similar to paper mache, which will not rot or smell, so it is quite safe and hygienic to leave where it is. If the nest is accessible and you do decide to remove it, wait for at least four weeks as this will ensure that no one will get stung by any larvae that have hatched out after the queen has died, occasionally scratching may be heard from the nest during this period but as long as outside activity has ceased, don't worry as this will soon die out. If the nest is treated in the Autumn dying wasps, Queens and Drones may still appear for up to 20 days after treatment. Never block the entrance to a nest unless you are quite sure the nest is dead e.g. Wasps are not flying in and out of the entrance. The treated nest(s) are guaranteed never to be used again and the actual location of the treated nest(s) guaranteed not to be reused by other Wasps for the remainder of the calendar year.

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