A wasp nest in the eaves. Leave it, or call someone?

Every summer we get calls about nests that do not need treating at all. A colony dies off by itself in late autumn and wasps never reuse an old nest. So the question is not whether a nest is there, but whether it will cause trouble before October.

When you can leave it

A small nest high in the eaves, away from doors, windows and where people sit, with light traffic in and out, can often be left. Keep an eye on it. If it stays quiet and nobody in the house is allergic, it will be empty by November.

When to book a treatment

Book if the entrance is near a door, window, patio or play area; if anyone in the house has reacted badly to a sting; if you hear chewing inside a wall or ceiling (they can chew through plasterboard); or if wasps are getting inside the house. Nests in lofts often send wasps down through gaps around light fittings.

Most calls come in August, when colonies are at their largest and wasps become more aggressive around food.

What not to do

Do not block the entrance. The wasps will look for another way out, and sometimes that way is into your house. Do not spray a shop-bought product into the entrance at close range or try to knock the nest down. Most stings we hear about happen when someone does exactly that.

If it turns out to be bees

Bees are not treated. If the insects are round and fuzzy, or you see them on flowers rather than bins, take a photo and send it to us first. If it is bees, we will put you in touch with a local beekeeper.