Wasp Nest in Your Garden Shed? Safe Treatment Options in Welwyn
Many shed nests start in the roof rather than the door. This guide looks at felt, boards and eaves, and how to spot and deal with a nest up there.
Look up first
Most people check the door of a shed, but wasps often use the roof. Where felt has lifted at an edge, where boards have shrunk or where the overhang leaves a dark gap, a queen can slip in and build in the space between the roof covering and the boards. It is dry, secure and out of sight.
In Welwyn, as elsewhere, these roof nests grow unnoticed because the shed is rarely seen from above. The wasps simply fly in and out of a gap at head height or above.
A nest in a roof space is also likely to be warmer than one low down, and wasps may be active earlier in the day. That can make the traffic more obvious to someone who looks up.
The part of the roof that is hardest to see is often the part with the nest, and a queen is clever about picking it. Once you know that, the search becomes easier: look where you normally do not.
Features of the roof that invite nesting
Some roofs are more tempting than others.
- felt that has curled or split at the corners
- overhanging boards with a hollow beneath
- gaps where the roof joins the wall plate
- loose trim and fascias
- holes made by screws and old fixings
A flat or low-pitched roof also makes it hard to see the area, so you may need to look from the side or at an angle. Never climb onto the roof to look.
Metal and plastic roofs have their own weak spots: the edge trim, the fixings and any gaps beneath the ridge. A shed with a green roof may have hidden voids beneath the planting layer.
A shed with a pent roof (sloping one way) has a high and low edge, and the high side is often the favourite. It gets the warmth of the sun and is hard to see from the ground.
Signs from the ground
Stand back on a warm afternoon and watch the roof edge. Wasps flying in a straight line to a single point are a sign. You may also see a small amount of grey material dangling from a gap, or marks on the wall below where wasps have been landing.
Inside, the ceiling of the shed may show a brown stain, or you may hear a rustle from above. A hum in the roof is a strong sign. Do not knock the ceiling to test it.
Look at the underside of the eaves, where there is often a dark stripe from regular traffic, and at the wall below for droppings or small chewings. These are subtle but telling.
Compare the two sides of the shed. A roof nest often shows as wasp traffic on one side only, and the further you walk round, the clearer it becomes where the entrance is.
Why not to knock it down or block it
A roof nest looks easy to reach, and it can be tempting to jab at it with a pole or push a rag into the gap. Doing so provokes the colony. Wasps may swarm and sting, and they can move into the shed itself.
Likewise, avoid nailing a board across the gap while wasps are active. They will chew a new exit or find their way into the shed. The right step is to keep clear and arrange treatment.
Do not try to reach the nest from inside the shed by prodding the roof boards. The boards may be thin, and you would put yourself right beneath the colony.
Likewise, do not ask a neighbour or friend to go up a ladder for you. A fall from a ladder, while being stung, is a much greater risk than the nest.
What happens at a visit
A roof nest is priced like any other, at £70, with each extra nest on the same property at £30. No call-out charge is added. A tall shed or an awkward roof edge may need special access equipment, in which case the price might be higher, and the office will tell you so on the phone before the technician sets off.
Nothing happens until you have agreed. You can reach the office on 07852 111 437, or send your details through the online booking form. Appointments are possible seven days a week, same-day service is offered, and evening and weekend times are available. Your technician is fully insured and qualified.
It helps the technician if you can say what the roof is made of and roughly how high the eaves are. This allows the right equipment to be considered before the visit.
Mention any fixtures on the shed roof, such as a water butt connection or a solar light, since these affect how the technician reaches the nest.
Repairs and prevention
Once the nest is dealt with and the technician has said the area is clear, repair the roof. Replace torn felt, tack down loose edges and fill gaps between boards with a suitable sealant. This removes the sheltered gaps that a queen looks for in spring.
Also check the underside of the overhang and the fascia. A little maintenance each autumn, when the shed is free of wasps, is the best way to avoid a repeat. If you add a new shed, tell the installer to leave no gaps between the roof and the walls.
If you plan to replace the roof covering, do it when the nest has been treated and the area is clear, and fit the new felt tightly with no overhanging edges that could curl.
When you look at the roof, check the guttering as well. Leaves and debris in a small gutter can hide a gap in the fascia, and a damp, rotten board is easier for wasps to chew.
Wasps on your property in Welwyn?
Fixed price £70 per nest, no call-out charge, same-day service available.