When Is Wasp Season in Rochford?

A shed that stays shut from autumn to summer is a classic place for a nest, so it helps to know when to check it and how to enter safely.

The building nobody looks at

Most people notice a nest on the house. The shed at the end of the garden or the garage behind the building often gets ignored. It is closed for months, it is dry and sheltered, and it has gaps around the door, roof and eaves. That is a very good home for a wasp nest. A householder in Rochford who only discovers it in August has had the colony growing unobserved for months.

The same is true of a summer house, a log store, a greenhouse or a lean-to. Any structure that is left shut and undisturbed for months offers the sort of quiet that wasps seek.

When to check

Building begins from late April, depending on the weather. The ideal time to inspect an outbuilding is therefore early May, and again in June. In the first check you are looking for a new nest while it is small. By June you can see whether traffic has developed.

A shed also needs another look before you dive in to fetch the lawnmower at the start of summer, because that is the moment when vibration and noise are likely to disturb anything inside.

Many people open their sheds only in a rush, for the strimmer or a bike, so a pause for ten seconds is rare. Make it a rule from May onwards: stand at the door, look, listen, and only then step in. This takes no equipment and avoids nearly every accidental encounter.

If you store cardboard, old mats or sacks in the shed, move them to a dry place in autumn, because wasps sometimes use the folded corners as shelter.

A safe way to look

You do not need to open the door to learn a lot. Stand back and watch the outside for a few minutes on a warm afternoon. Are wasps going in or out through a gap at the eaves, the ventilation slots or a knot hole? Is there a sound from inside?

• Watch the door edges, the corners of the roof and the underside of any overhang.
• Do not stand directly in the flight path.
• Open the door slowly and only if you see no activity.
• Shine a torch rather than putting your head inside.

If you see a grey papery structure, or if anything starts moving towards you, close the door gently and walk away.

Do not use a smoke, spray or flame to move wasps out. Beyond the risk of fire in a wooden building, it can drive them into the structure or towards you. Leave the nest alone, shut the door and make a note of where wasps are going in and out so you can describe it later.

What lives where in an outbuilding

Wasps like places that are warm and shaded. In a garage that might be a corner of the roof timbers or a stack of cardboard boxes. In a shed it might be behind shelving, or in the roof felt. Sometimes the nest is outside, hanging below the eaves, with just the edge visible from within.

Lofts above garages are also used. If you have a storage space above, treat it the same as a loft in the house: look from the hatch with a torch, and do not go in if you see wasp activity.

If you have to get to something in the shed, wait for a cool, overcast period when the wasps are less active, and ask a second person to stay at a distance. Even so, treating it first is a much safer option. Retrieve what you need once the nest has been dealt with.

In a shared outbuilding, such as a block of garages or a communal store, tell the person who manages the building. The cost question depends on the tenancy or management agreement, so check it.

The August trap

By August the colony reaches its peak and a nest can hold from 2,000 to 10,000 or more wasps. A garage with a nest in the roof is dangerous to use: a car door slamming or a ladder knocked against a wall can set them off. If the garage is on a shared drive, tell neighbours too.

Keep to the other side of the garden until you have advice, and never try to block a gap or burn the nest out.

Remember pets as well. A dog or cat that likes to nose around the shed door will be quickly stung. Keep them away until the area has been treated, and watch for swelling or distress afterwards. If you are worried about an animal, contact a vet.

Having the nest treated

When the work is done, take time to look at what let the wasps in. Repairs to gaps in the roof felt, door frame and eaves cut the chance of a repeat. Put a reminder in the diary for early May, so you check the shed before the nests are large.

Each nest treated by Wasp Nest Removal Essex is a flat £90 per nest with one visit guaranteed, plus £35 for any additional nest on the same property. Work is carried out for domestic and commercial customers alike, all work is fully insured, and the business is open seven days a week, offering same-day service.

Booking is by telephone on 01245 327274 or send the booking form from the contact page. Once you are on the phone, it is worth asking whether the empty nest can be taken down. Should someone at the property be allergic to stings, make sure it is said at booking so that the booking can be prioritised.

Frequently asked questions

More wasp advice for Rochford