Found a Wasp Nest in Your Loft in Billington? Here's What to Do
Not every insect in a roof space is a wasp. Knowing the difference helps you ring the right person, and this guide explains how to tell without going close.
Why identification matters
The business treats wasps. It does not treat bees or hornets, and the right course of action for each is different. Honeybees and bumblebees are valuable pollinators, and if you have bees in the loft, the sensible call is to a local beekeeper or the relevant bee organisation, who can advise on what can be done.
Getting the identification right at the start saves time and avoids a wasted visit. You do not need to be an entomologist. A few observations made from a safe distance will usually be enough.
A quick note on the word ‘nest’ too. People use it for any insect home, so a caller who says ‘bees in the loft’ may be describing wasps, and a caller who says ‘wasps’ might have bees. The more detail you give, the sooner the right advice can be given.
What wasps look like
The wasps that build nests in lofts are slim and sharply marked, with a narrow waist between the thorax and the abdomen. They are yellow and black, with a smooth, shiny body and not much hair. They tend to fly in quick, straight lines, and they are often seen going in and out of a small gap.
- Narrow, defined waist.
- Smooth, glossy body with bold black and yellow bands.
- Fast, direct flight to a single entry point.
- Often seen on food, bins or sweet drinks nearby.
- A grey, papery nest, if it can be seen.
Please do not try to see these details at close range. A photograph through glass or from a distance is far better than a closer look.
Look also at behaviour around food. Wasps are scavengers, and they like meat, sugar and fruit, so you will often see them around bins and at picnics in late summer. Bees are more interested in flowers. A loft nest with a lot of wasps around the dustbins or the barbecue is consistent with wasps rather than bees.
What bees look like
Honeybees and bumblebees are stouter and more rounded than wasps, with hairy bodies. Honeybees are brownish and fuzzy, with a gentler flight. Bumblebees are large, round and often very furry. They fly more slowly and wobble about.
A honeybee colony in a roof space builds wax comb, not paper, and often has a large number of bees clustered around the entrance. If this is what you see, do not try to treat or block anything. Contact a local beekeeper or the relevant bee organisation, who will advise.
If you are not sure whether you have bees or wasps, say so when you ring. The business can ask a few questions and tell you whether it is a case they can help with.
If the colony turns out to be bees, resist the temptation to treat the entrance yourself. Honeybees can be disturbed easily and the damage that follows may be significant. A beekeeper will want to know how long the bees have been there, where they enter and whether you have seen swarming activity.
Bumblebees sometimes nest in a loft or an eaves void too, though their colonies are much smaller than a wasp nest, and the bees fly with a heavier, more bumbling motion. Neither kind is treated by the business.
What about hornets?
Hornets are larger than wasps, with a more reddish-brown look to them. The business treats wasps, not hornets, so if you believe you have hornets, say so on the call and the person you speak to will explain what they can and cannot do.
Whichever insect it is, do not approach. A confined roof space is a poor place to find out by trial and error.
The business can only help with wasps, and it is better to know that at the outset. There is no call-out charge, so asking the question first costs nothing.
Signs that point to wasps
If you cannot see the insects well, look at the evidence.
- Wasps entering a gap under the roof edge in a steady line.
- A humming from the ceiling that increases in warm weather.
- Wasps appearing in upstairs rooms or around light fittings.
- No wax or honey smell, and no clustering at the entrance.
- A start in spring, building up to a peak in August.
These signs, taken together, make wasps the likely answer. Report them and the technician can confirm on the day.
A good approach is to make notes over two or three days, always from a distance. Write down the time, the weather and what you saw. After a couple of days a pattern emerges, and your notes will help whoever you speak to, whether that is the wasp business or a beekeeper.
Booking for a wasp nest
For wasps, treatment is a fixed £70 per nest, with £30 extra for an additional nest on the same property and no call-out charge. The price is confirmed before the technician visits, and nothing is done without your agreement. It might be more where special access equipment is needed.
Same-day service is offered, and a call early in the day is best. If you want to arrange treatment, 07852 111 437 is the number, and the website’s booking form and contact page also work. Mention any allergy in the household, so the booking can be prioritised.
If you can send a photograph, perhaps through the contact page, do so, but only if it was taken from a safe place. A blurred picture of an entrance from across the garden is better than a sharp one taken from a ladder.
Remember that identification can be difficult even for professionals when the insects are inside a cavity. Be prepared for the technician to say that they need to look on the day before confirming what you have.
Wasps on your property in Billington?
Fixed price £70 per nest, no call-out charge, same-day service available.