Wasps nest in loft
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Disco_Dale

Original Poster:

1,893 posts

226 months

Sunday 25th October 2009
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Ventured up into the loft to begin laying insulation and theres a smallish (football sized) wasps nest up on one of the eaves.
No sign of any wasps dead or alive in the loft, not seen many wasps outside this summer.

Anyone got experience of these things? Is a nest likely to be abandoned by this time of year, or are they merely planning their attack?

Wuss, moi? Well yes actually... smile

dpbird90

5,535 posts

206 months

Sunday 25th October 2009
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robinhood21

30,934 posts

248 months

Sunday 25th October 2009
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Best left alone if not in the way, though I doubt it will still be live (crosses fingers). If in the way; get a plastic rubbish sack/bag and, enclose nest, keeping a firm grip where joined to rafter and snap off. Now go and lob it over next doors fence. biggrin:

sday12

5,060 posts

227 months

Sunday 25th October 2009
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Your council should remove it (for a fee) if it is active.


jeff m

4,066 posts

274 months

Sunday 25th October 2009
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Not sure this is much help.....
American wasps abandon their nests, European ones reuse them.
Source.....Animal Control here in the States.
Apparantly we have both types here, so possible/probable you do too.

blod

310 posts

220 months

Eggman

1,253 posts

227 months

Sunday 25th October 2009
quotequote all
If it's active then you'll probably hear some movement inside and there'll be the odd wasp buzzing around guarding the nest. As you don't mention making a hasty retreat back through the loft hatch pursued by sentries it sounds like it may be an old nest, possibly even from a previous year.

If you're still worried about it you could wait for a cold evening (when any wasps would be very sluggish) and give it a nice coat of wasp nest destroying foam from the DIY shop. I would try to leave it where it is if possible - wasps give other nests a wide berth, so any queens who come surveying your loft as a nest site will be put off. (You can even buy false nests for this purpose - they're like the once fashionable spherical paper lampshades but with added speckles). We had the exterminator round to deal with an enormous (18-20" diameter) nest a few years ago and have had no trouble since - but it still gives me the willies every time I see it!

J-c

419 posts

191 months

Sunday 25th October 2009
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sday12 said:
Your council should remove it (for a fee) if it is active.
yes they do but that will be in 10 months time frown pick it up bag it and bin the fekker smile

Disco_Dale

Original Poster:

1,893 posts

226 months

Sunday 25th October 2009
quotequote all
Well I've been up there and done half the loft so far (at the opposite end of the loft to the nest strangely enough!) and not seen a single wasp. So I'm gonna be brave and carry on.

LMC

918 posts

229 months

Sunday 25th October 2009
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Go on, give it a squeeze and let us know if anything happens smile

Disco_Dale

Original Poster:

1,893 posts

226 months

Sunday 25th October 2009
quotequote all
No! :P

Mission accomplished, sure it's a dead un now - I do remember a period of stray wasps getting in the windows at that end of the house the summer before last, so I reckon it was last years.