Wasp Nests Under Roof Tiles – A Common Problem for Saffron Walden Homes

A house left empty for a week or two gives wasps the quiet they like, so a safe check on return, or by a neighbour, is worth planning.

A quiet house is an attractive house

Wasps look for places that are quiet and undisturbed. A house that is shut up for a fortnight, with no one coming and going, can be exactly that. A nest that would have been noticed in a busy household can grow unobserved while you are away.

Coming home to find a stream of wasps at the roof edge is an unwelcome end to a holiday. It is also very manageable if you take care in the first hour.

The same applies to second homes and holiday lets. Premises that are used only occasionally are ideal for wasps, and nobody may notice an issue until the next visit. If you manage such a property, a regular outside check is a sensible habit.

Many people have a similar experience: a perfect week away, a long drive home and a tired family at the front door. It is exactly the wrong moment to deal with wasps, and the temptation is to push on and unpack. A pause of two minutes is worth it.

Before you open the door

Park, step out of the car and pause. Look at the roofline from the drive, while you are still at a distance. Is there a line of wasps going into a gap? Are any at the windows? Do not walk up to the wall to check.

If there is a nest, use whichever door is furthest from the entrance. Bring the bags in quickly and quietly. Keep children and pets in the car until you have decided what to do, and avoid slamming doors.

If you arrive at night, wait until morning to look at the roofline. Wasps are quiet in the dark, but you will not be able to judge the situation, and a torch pointed at the eaves is not a good idea.

If the front door is directly beneath the entrance, consider whether a back door or a side door could be used instead. If not, open the front door as calmly and quickly as you can and step in without lingering.

Inside the house

Wasps may have got in while the house was empty. Check windows, curtains and rooms below the roof carefully before opening any. A cluster at a window is likely to be disturbed by movement, so do not flap curtains about.

• Open windows in rooms away from the nest to let stray wasps leave.
• Close doors to rooms with many wasps and leave them for the technician.
• Avoid the loft entirely.
• Do not use a vacuum or spray on a group of wasps.

Keep calm. A wasp that finds an open window will usually leave.

Wasps that have been trapped in a closed room for days can be agitated and may be present in large numbers. Treat any room with many wasps as out of bounds until it has been dealt with.

Remember pets that have been boarded or left with a friend. They will be excited to be home, and a dog bounding into the garden could run straight into trouble. Keep them on a lead until you have looked around.

Asking a neighbour or friend to look

If you are planning a holiday, consider asking someone to check on the house now and again, from the outside. A neighbour who glances up at the roofline from the pavement can spot a flight line early. If they see one, they can ring the business on your behalf or let you know.

Give them the booking number and ask them not to approach the wall. It is a small favour that can avoid a larger problem.

If a neighbour does spot something, they are best placed to describe where it is. Ask them to ring you with the details rather than going up to the house.

If you rent your home out, make sure whoever manages it knows what to do if wasps are reported. A short list of instructions and a contact number can save a great deal of time.

Booking

Treatment comes to a fixed £90 for each nest and one visit is guaranteed. Where an extra nest appears at your property, you pay £35 more for it. The business is open seven days a week, and same-day service is available, and the work is fully insured for domestic and commercial customers.

Phone 01245 327274 or book through the contact page form. A technician covers Saffron Walden and the surrounding villages. If you are away, explain who can give access and where the nest is, and mention any allergy to stings so that the booking can be prioritised.

If you need the visit while you are still away, ring from wherever you are and arrange access with the technician.

A neighbour with a key can let the technician in while you are still away.

Settling back in

Once the nest has been treated, wait for the technician to say it is safe, then reopen rooms. Check the windowsills for dead wasps and clear them carefully.

Ask whether the empty nest can be taken down and have a roofer look at the roof edge. Before your next trip, glance at the roof from the garden on the day you leave, and note the date. That way you will know what has changed when you return.

It may take a few days for the house to feel normal again, but the main thing is that the wasps are gone.

Remember to ask the technician about anything unusual you noticed on your return, so that it is not forgotten.

Frequently asked questions

More wasp advice for Saffron Walden