Same-Day Wasp Nest Treatment in Milton Keynes – What to Expect
Well-meant home remedies are the commonest reason a wasp nest turns into a stinging incident. These are the mistakes to avoid while you wait for the technician.
The temptation to do something
Once a nest is booked for treatment, the hours before the visit can feel long. It is natural to want to do something, particularly if wasps are coming and going near the back door. Most of the usual home remedies, though, are the reason for stings, not the cure.
The following covers the common mistakes, in the order in which they tend to occur, and then suggests what is actually helpful.
There is a simple rule that covers nearly all of them: if the action requires you to go closer to the nest, do not do it. Distance is your friend, and the technician has the tools and training to work at close quarters, which you do not.
Spraying the entrance
A can of household insect spray from the cupboard seems a reasonable choice. In practice it is a gamble. A spray directed at an entrance will irritate wasps coming out, and it will not stop the colony. If you do it from the wrong distance, or the wind turns, you risk being stung in the face.
If you do nothing else, do not spray the nest. The technician is trained for this and will deal with it, and spraying from the doorstep puts you within reach of the wasps.
Beware, too, of the idea that a spray will ‘just thin them out’. Wasps that survive will continue to defend the nest, and you will have used up your safe window to get away. Whether the product is meant for flying insects, ants or garden pests, a wasp nest is not the target it was made for.
Blocking the hole
Another common idea is to push something into the gap or seal it with filler. Wasps that are shut in do not simply vanish. They look for another exit, and the alternative route can be a gap into the house, a light fitting or a window frame. If the nest is in a wall, loft or cavity, blocking the entrance is one of the most reliable ways to turn an outside problem into an indoor one.
Leave the entrance open and unobstructed, so wasps keep flying out of it and not into your living room.
Knocking, poking and hosing
Knocking down a hanging nest with a broom, poking it with a pole or hosing it with water all have the same outcome. The colony reacts at once, and people nearby are in danger. Even a nest that appears small can hold a lot of insects, and in August a colony may have as many as 2,000.
Smoke, fire and boiling water carry the same risks, plus the added danger of fire or scalds. None of them is suitable for a nest on or near a building.
Swatting is another thing to resist. People standing near the nest and flailing at wasps are the ones who get stung. If a wasp lands on you, stay still and let it fly off, or walk slowly away. Walking, not running, helps because fast movement draws attention.
Trapping wasps in jars or bottles of sweet liquid may reduce the number of wasps at a picnic table. It will not affect a nest, and it will attract more wasps to the area where you are sitting.
What to do instead
There is plenty you can do that actually helps.
- Keep everyone away from the nest and tell the whole household where it is.
- Close windows and doors on the side nearest the nest.
- Keep pets indoors or on the far side of the house.
- Cover food and sweet drinks, and bring washing in.
- Note where the wasps are entering, from a window if possible.
- Make sure someone can answer the door or the phone when the technician comes.
If you are stung, wash the area, remove the sting if you can see it and use a cold pack. If there is swelling of the face, lips or throat, breathing difficulty, wheezing, dizziness or a spreading rash, call 999. People with known allergies should speak to their GP, and should mention this to the business when booking.
A little preparation helps the visit run smoothly. Find the nearest window with a view of the nest, and keep a note of the time when wasps were last seen leaving it. If a neighbour shares a fence with the nest, tell them what is planned. The more you can do from indoors, the better.
The visit and the price
When the technician arrives you will already know the price: £70 for the nest, £30 for an additional nest on the same property, and no call-out charge. It might be more if the nest is in a place where special access equipment is needed, and you will know that beforehand. Nothing is done unless you have agreed.
Same-day service is offered, though it depends on the day, so ring early. You can book on 07852 111 437, by the online booking form or through the contact page, and domestic and commercial work are both covered.
If the nest was not removed and is still visible, resist the urge to examine it. Ask the technician whether the empty nest can be taken down, and leave it alone until you have the answer. Tell the household what has happened and when it is safe to go outside, and if you notice wasps in a new spot later, ring and describe them rather than trying a remedy yourself.
Think back to the mistakes above if you are ever tempted to improvise. Next April, when wasps start building, a quick look round the eaves and the shed is a far better use of ten minutes than a spray can.
Wasps on your property in Milton Keynes?
Fixed price £70 per nest, no call-out charge, same-day service available.