Discussion
I noticed a few wasps buzzing round the door of my shed last year and saw a tennis ball sized nest in there. Late one night I got fully wrapped up and blasted the small nest with a hosepipe.
The next day, there were more wasps and I realised I had a much bigger problem. I got wrapped up again, went into the shed and traced their path. It seemed they were going into a big plastic box so I very carefully opened it to check. I was greeted by a football sized wasps nest hanging off the lid.
Somehow I managed to close it again without them kicking off. I heroically ran away and called an exterminator, who came and got rid of them for £50.
We've bought two Waspinators this year which is basically a drawstring bag you hang up to make wasps think there's already a nest there. No sign of wasps so far so they seem to be doing the trick, although it's difficult to know if that's just a coincidence or not.
The next day, there were more wasps and I realised I had a much bigger problem. I got wrapped up again, went into the shed and traced their path. It seemed they were going into a big plastic box so I very carefully opened it to check. I was greeted by a football sized wasps nest hanging off the lid.
Somehow I managed to close it again without them kicking off. I heroically ran away and called an exterminator, who came and got rid of them for £50.
We've bought two Waspinators this year which is basically a drawstring bag you hang up to make wasps think there's already a nest there. No sign of wasps so far so they seem to be doing the trick, although it's difficult to know if that's just a coincidence or not.
How big and how accessible are they?
We're in the middle of a forest so get loads of them every year. I typically just knock them off with a long length of 4x2. You can be well clear by the time the wasps react and they just buzz around angrily for a day or so then disappear. They never seem to try and build another in the same place.
They also seem less aggressive at night so do it then if you're worried!
We're in the middle of a forest so get loads of them every year. I typically just knock them off with a long length of 4x2. You can be well clear by the time the wasps react and they just buzz around angrily for a day or so then disappear. They never seem to try and build another in the same place.
They also seem less aggressive at night so do it then if you're worried!
voram said:
The wasp nests are high up in the eaves (two storey house), out of sight but very busy with wasps crawling in behind the soffits.
The hornet nest is in a tall shrub and about 10 ft above ground. Almost the size of a football.
Ah right, not so easy then. Ours tend to be out in the open under overhangs and shed rooves. The hornet nest is in a tall shrub and about 10 ft above ground. Almost the size of a football.
Hornets are definately good and imo should be left alone. Scarey they may be but they're actually very passive and won't sting without giving you a few headbutt warnings first. That said, they're not in my garden but I'd try to live with them if they were.
I appreciate wasps can be a pain especially if the nest is by where you walk to get indoors or similar. Wasps are really useful for consuming garden pests so have their place in the eco system. If they were in my eaves and generally 'out of the way' I wouldn't be concerned.
I appreciate wasps can be a pain especially if the nest is by where you walk to get indoors or similar. Wasps are really useful for consuming garden pests so have their place in the eco system. If they were in my eaves and generally 'out of the way' I wouldn't be concerned.
Boosted LS1 said:
Hornets are definately good and imo should be left alone. Scarey they may be but they're actually very passive and won't sting without giving you a few headbutt warnings first. That said, they're not in my garden but I'd try to live with them if they were.
Depending on the type they can do real damage to bee colonies.Boosted LS1 said:
Hornets are definately good and imo should be left alone. Scarey they may be but they're actually very passive and won't sting without giving you a few headbutt warnings first. That said, they're not in my garden but I'd try to live with them if they were.
I appreciate wasps can be a pain especially if the nest is by where you walk to get indoors or similar. Wasps are really useful for consuming garden pests so have their place in the eco system. If they were in my eaves and generally 'out of the way' I wouldn't be concerned.
Same here. We had them in our our roof and eaves last year. Just left them and they caused us no problems. I appreciate wasps can be a pain especially if the nest is by where you walk to get indoors or similar. Wasps are really useful for consuming garden pests so have their place in the eco system. If they were in my eaves and generally 'out of the way' I wouldn't be concerned.
LooneyTunes said:
Depending on the type they can do real damage to bee colonies.
Yup, if those Asian ones. Burn them all.https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife/how-identi...
LooneyTunes said:
Boosted LS1 said:
Hornets are definately good and imo should be left alone. Scarey they may be but they're actually very passive and won't sting without giving you a few headbutt warnings first. That said, they're not in my garden but I'd try to live with them if they were.
Depending on the type they can do real damage to bee colonies.My local pestco charges £50 for the first nest and £30 for each subsequent one.
He also said that unfortunately, if wasps like your house they'll come back next year - turns out they do like our house so i'll be on the blower shortly to get him back.
I think some household insurance policies have pest cover but as with most things if usually isnt worth the hassle of claiming but as you've got 4 + hornets it might be worth a look at your policy?
Lastly, your local council may offer a pest service, when i last checked the rate was also £50 per nest.
Wasps are irritating buggers but there's no way i'd risk the hornets nest.
He also said that unfortunately, if wasps like your house they'll come back next year - turns out they do like our house so i'll be on the blower shortly to get him back.
I think some household insurance policies have pest cover but as with most things if usually isnt worth the hassle of claiming but as you've got 4 + hornets it might be worth a look at your policy?
Lastly, your local council may offer a pest service, when i last checked the rate was also £50 per nest.
Wasps are irritating buggers but there's no way i'd risk the hornets nest.
voram said:
The wasp nests are high up in the eaves (two storey house), out of sight but very busy with wasps crawling in behind the soffits.
The hornet nest is in a tall shrub and about 10 ft above ground. Almost the size of a football.
I had one in a similar location and there was no way I was going up on a ladder or into the loft to try and sort it myself. I rang a couple of pest controllers who quoted me over £100+VAT, but then decided to ring the local council. The council wanted £50, the guy turned up the next day and used a pressure bottle full of powder and a long pipe to squirt the powder into the hole the wasps used. There were lots of angry wasps for an hour or so. He even came back a couple of days later to give them a 2nd dose just incase any had survived.The hornet nest is in a tall shrub and about 10 ft above ground. Almost the size of a football.
Boosted LS1 said:
Hornets are definately good and imo should be left alone. Scarey they may be but they're actually very passive and won't sting without giving you a few headbutt warnings first.
Unless you accidentally stumble across their nest. 5 stings in quick succession yesterday. I may have sworn quite a bit.
dtz said:
I had one in a similar location and there was no way I was going up on a ladder or into the loft to try and sort it myself. I rang a couple of pest controllers who quoted me over £100+VAT, but then decided to ring the local council. The council wanted £50, the guy turned up the next day and used a pressure bottle full of powder and a long pipe to squirt the powder into the hole the wasps used. There were lots of angry wasps for an hour or so. He even came back a couple of days later to give them a 2nd dose just incase any had survived.
I rigged up a home made version of this for a wasps nest we had in a particularly hard to reach dormer. Two lengths of copper pipe (1 x 22 & 1 x 15) soldered together with a reducer, valve and air line fitting. Emptied a whole container of that wasp killer powder into the thick end and attached my air compressed to the other end. Allowed me to insert a the powder direct into the entrance from a long way away at dusk. Killed them all. All using stuff I had knocking about, apart from the powder. (Did take two goes- turns out 120psi is too much…)
Gassing Station | Homes, Gardens and DIY | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff