Wasp Control for Epping Restaurants, Pubs and Commercial Premises

Stallholders and cafés with pavement seating have no walls to keep wasps out, so the response has to be about display, cleanliness and finding the nest.

Trading in the open

A shop with a door can close it. A market stall or a café with tables on the pavement cannot. Everything is exposed: the fruit, the pastries, the sweets, the cold drinks and the people queueing. On a warm day in late summer, when wasps are seeking sugar, an open stall can feel as if it is under siege.

The trader’s job is to reduce the attraction and to find out where the wasps are coming from. The first is within your control at the stall. The second often lies in a nearby building, tree or wall, and may need a technician.

Another thing outdoor traders notice is that wasps are bolder around mid-afternoon on hot days than in the cool of the morning. That is when the stall most needs a routine: lids on, trays covered, someone assigned to wipe down. If you work with a partner, take turns so that one of you is always watching the display.

Display habits that help

You cannot cover everything, but you can reduce what is on offer. Keep these habits:

• cover trays of cakes, fruit and sweets with a net or dome when no one is serving
• sell open cups of juice and fizzy drinks with lids
• keep sticky waste in a bin with a tight lid, not a bag at your feet
• wipe your counter and scales regularly
• store ripe or damaged fruit out of sight
• move display stands away from the nearest wall or hedge if wasps seem to come from that direction

Customers appreciate effort. A stall that is clearly trying to keep wasps off the food earns respect.

Think about the sweet items that sell best. Doughnuts, flapjacks, pastries and sticky buns are favourites with customers and with wasps. Consider keeping a limited number on display and holding the rest in a closed box under the counter, topping up as needed. The stall still looks full, but there is less for wasps to find.

Honey, jam and syrup jars need particular care. A single smear on a lid or label draws wasps to the whole shelf, so wipe jars before putting them out and clean any drips immediately.

Pavement tables and queues

For cafés with outside tables, the table is the target. Wipe each one as soon as people leave, keep sugar bowls lidded, and clear plates quickly. Place a lidded bin close to the tables so that leftovers do not end up on the pavement. If wasps are bothering diners at one table more than the others, move that table.

Queues are another pressure point. A line of people holding drinks outside a takeaway window is something wasps will find. Keep the queue away from the nearest hedge or wall, if you can see the wasps coming from it.

Do not spray or swat near customers. It rarely helps and often leads to stings.

Parasols and awnings can hide wasps in the folds, especially where a drink has dripped. Shake out and check them at the start of each day, from a sensible distance, and be gentle when furling them in the afternoon.

Finding the source

Wasps travel quite far for food, so the nest may not be at your stall at all. Spend a little time watching the wasps that arrive. If they come from the same direction every time, the nest is probably that way. It could be in a building, a tree, a bank, a hedge or a gap in a wall.

If the nest is on someone else’s property, tell the owner or the person who manages the site. A pavement trader may need to speak to the landlord or the market organiser, and what is expected depends on the terms of your pitch or licence. Check your agreement rather than assuming.

A useful trick is to compare notes with the stalls and cafés either side of you. If their wasps arrive from the same direction as yours, the source is likely to be shared. Passing the information to the market organiser or the nearest property manager helps get a single booking made for everybody.

Booking treatment

Wasp Nest Removal Essex treats nests at homes and commercial premises, is open seven days a week and offers same-day service. It is fully insured. The charge for a nest is a fixed £90 with one visit guaranteed, and an additional nest at the same property costs £35 extra.

Ring 01245 327274 or fill in the booking form on the contact page. If you are not the property owner, say so, and give the name of the person who should be contacted for access. Describe where the wasps seem to be coming from, and explain that you trade in the open and so need the problem resolved promptly. If you or someone working with you is allergic to stings, say so when booking so that the visit can be prioritised.

If the nest turns out to be at a property you do not control, you can still ask the owner to arrange treatment, and you can point to the booking details above. A nest is a fixed price however the premises are used.

Staying safe and ready

Stallholders work on their feet and often alone. Keep a small first aid kit at the stall. Deal with a sting by staying calm, then wash the area, remove the sting if you can see it and apply a cold pack. Phone 999 immediately if there is wheezing or difficulty breathing, swelling of the face, lips or throat, a widespread rash or dizziness. Those with a known allergy should speak to their GP.

Wasps begin nests in late April depending on the weather and are at their peak in August. If you trade seasonally, keep an eye on any hedge, wall or tree close to your pitch from spring. A trader in Epping who spots a nest in May has an easier time than one who waits until the middle of summer.

Frequently asked questions

More wasp advice for Epping