Heeeelp! Wasp advice needed please.....

[Marcel]

Theyve started invading our house. So much that we have to keep all the windows shut during the day.

They've been hovering all around the front of the house for the past 3 days or so, roughly around where the arrows are.

Sometimes they hover around these points, then give up and fly off. Other times they don't.

However, if we take a closer look at the area under the satellite dish

The hole with the red arrow is the only one I've seen them land on and go 'in'.

I just want rid to be honest. It's right under our bedroom window, above the living room window, and this evening was a bit of a gauntlet run to open the door and get inside (Im terrified of the little buggers).

Any ideas? Is our resident wasp expert around?

Thank

 

[Hacker]

I would call out a pest control expert. We had a wasp problem about 3-4 years ago in the loft and when I went to have a look found a nest measuring 41 inches across. We called out the expert and he reckoned there were between 70,000 - 120,000 wasps in there, I nearly **** myself because like you, I am terrified of the things.

 

[cason]

local council will have someone but these days they charge!

 

[praxis]

Get some flies in the house and let the wasps in, and photograph the results! (macro of course!)

 

[chouglez]

Had similar problem last year and had called some firm the council employs and the guy checked the loft and thankfully there were no nests but every now and then a few dead or almost dead ones used to hang around in window sill etc.

Thankfully it was a free survey and the guy did not charge anything.

By winter all was over but we had a tough time for few weeks.

Strongly advise to call an expert and have it sorted rather than trying to fix it yourself. Not worth the risk. :shake:

Hope it gets fixed soon

 

[Ian D J]

Actually, I'm finding myself wondering if they actually are wasps as they don't usually come out until at least end of July and August. Even though the weather is being nice at the moment, night time and even day time temperatures are still too cold for wasps to get out and about (I think it needs to be 20 C and above for long periods, which we aren't experiencing not just yet as it's still only April).
I have a feeling that what you are seeing are worker and honey bees buzzing around looking for a potential home to form a hive, where even the queen bee may actually be inside a cavity wall. They're actually harmless and doesn't have a sting (only bumblebees do sting). At first glance they do look a lot like wasps but only slightly duller in their colouring.
But it's just a theory but I have seen something like that at a friend's house some years back.

 

[russdaz]

Oh i wouldnt like that, deffo a expert job, sounds like a possible nest within the cavity wall. Seen it loads at work, but i aint no expert in wasps.

 

[ChrisMClark]

Blow torch!

 

[Matt]

One of these applied directly to the wasp

or one of these

 

[Cobra]

Any ideas? Is our resident wasp expert around?

Thank

No but I'll try and help
Marcel take it from the old pink ( trust me I am a pestie) cobraThem there are beeezzzzzzzzzzzz
the chances are they are honey bees
if there are masses of them
if you are only seeing one or two at a time going in and out of the holes
them thar is mortar or "solitary" bees and as such protected
if they are honey bees you may be able to get a pestie out to destroy them you may not
They are also protected "up to a point" if you can prove that they are a
danger to young children ( I know you have them so it shouldn't be a problem)
f'crissakes DON't attempt this on your own you will get stung ( if honey bees)
Should cost around £50 to get it done professionally

Stick ya post code in here for a pestie in your area

 

[Joe T]

If they are honey bees are local beekeeper may be interested in 'taking' a swarm. My folks used to do this quite often. Honey bees are in decline at the moment, so if possible this is a much better option.

 

[dseered]

I would take the arrows down, or point them in a different direction, perhaps your neighbors house, maybe light a bonfire and direct the arrows at that, then they would fly right on in and have their wings singed off - this post was brought to you by Stella Artois

 

[Cobra]

If they are honey bees are local beekeeper may be interested in 'taking' a swarm. My folks used to do this quite often. Honey bees are in decline at the moment, so if possible this is a much better option.

Good point Joe But I have found that most bee keepers ( around here anyway) are
not interested in a "wild take" because of "Italian mite" I believe it is and one disease of which the name escapes me just now which wipes out colonies

 

[Marcel]

Thanks chaps. So theyre not wasps? They sure look like em.

I don't fancy tackling em on my own, but with the amount that are around the front of our house, I just want to be sure we have a problem (as we can't actually see anything, just saw two go in that hole, the rest have been them flying around the front of the house).

I'll try and take a pic tomorrow. Anyone got an 800mm plus 2x teleconverter I can borrow?

 

[Marcel]

I would take the arrows down, or point them in a different direction, perhaps your neighbors house, maybe light a bonfire and direct the arrows at that, then they would fly right on in and have their wings singed off - this post was brought to you by Stella Artois

 

[Tazmaniandevil]

They may be trying to establish a colony, it's about that time of year I believe. Try hanging an inflated brown paper bag from your satellite dish bracket, they will think there is a colony already established and go elsewhere.
If you already have a colony in the cavity or whatever you will see wasps by the hundredor possibly thousand round the house come summer.
Once they are gone I would recommend taking care of your pointing and filling the holes in the brickwork as you could be storing up problems for the future if water gets in there and freezes.

 

[Cobra]

Thanks chaps. So theyre not wasps? They sure look like em.

I don't fancy tackling em on my own, but with the amount that are around the front of our house, I just want to be sure we have a problem (as we can't actually see anything, just saw two go in that hole, the rest have been them flying around the front of the house).

I'll try and take a pic tomorrow. Anyone got an 800mm plus 2x teleconverter I can borrow?

As Ian has said it'll be a couple of months yet before the queen wasp has raised
anything like a small family
( remember my extracting the urine threads ?)
It was mid June before there were any ( half a dozen)
juveniles about
Bees start around Feb. I get so many calls for
"wasps" this time of year only to find that they are bees

If you can give them a few days they might even move on.....
If they have been there a week then they are going nowhere
Just enjoy the Honey ( you may have to rip down the wall to get it though )

 

[Marcel]

I'm not too keen on honey. And I'm petrified of the little buggers lol, wasps *or* bees.
I think the kids spotted a couple of them on Sunday, and today throughout the course of the day, there appeared more and more. At one point I think I saw about 6 or 7 over the front of the house at one time.

Hardly up to 50,000 making a swarm, but still 6 or 7 more than I'm comfortable with.
I'm also wary of them coming inside the house too, especially as when I sleep, my head is about 4 feet away from that satellite dish .

I'll try and get photos of any milling about tomorrow, see if you can identify wasp or bee.
Either way, what's the suggested course of action, wait and see, or call the council out now?

 

[Cobra]

Either way, what's the suggested course of action, wait and see, or call the council out now?

Your call mate to be honest and if the local council are anything like ours
it will take them 2 weeks to re-act
A private company will cost no more than the council and should be a lot quicker if you use the link
I provided
( but like anything get a price first!)
Don't call Rentokill they will cost you a fortune!

6 or 7 it may be solitary bees, they lay one egg in a hole sting an insect and "wall it back up"
It may also be an advancing party for honey bees.
Strange as it might seem, they also get "lost" one of your neighbours with a house very similar to yours may have the "nest" in their house
and they are making a mistake.

If they are Honey or solitary bees ( I am sure they are one or 'tuther)

They are not agressive, still capable of stinging, ( not the drones) but not agressive, like wasps
Have a look and see what's actually happening.
If there is a nest behind the Weep hole" you have marked there will be dozens piling in there before "dark"
Personally I would give it a few days you could save yourself IRO £50
IF you really are worried about you and the kids Get someone out tommorow
some will even do a free survey (its always worth asking)
If I was closer I would sort it but unfortunately.............................

 

[Marcel]

Ill be there in a couple of hours to pick you up. Wife's putting a chicken in the oven

Just kidding

Thanks very much, I knew you'd be able to advise

Will see how 'active' they are tomorrow and make a decision then.

 

[Cobra]

Here are a couple of guide pictures
Wasps are "more" black and yellow and longer and thinner

bees are quite dumpy and not so "heavily" marked but also quite hairy
compared to wasps
Hope that helps

Wasp

Honey bee

solitary bee

and you should know what this one is

 

[Cobra]

Mmmmmmmmmmmm Chicken


I Sorta screwed that up, with an edit, but this bit is important so I will repost

One last thing wasps / bees are attracted to light
so if you have a bedroom light on and a window open you may have company.
be especially careful if your kids have "nightlights" or you leave a light on on the landing or bathroom or something for them





Ps please can I have my Ex-terminator title back ?
You can leave the pink so MD doesn't feel all alone though

 

[Cobra]

Ps please can I have my Ex-terminator title back ?
You can leave the pink so MD doesn't feel all alone though

Thats not quite what I had on mind
But I'm (almost) PMSL

 

[..MD..]

hope you get it sorted marcel


PMSL at cobra


md

 

[Steep]

Tazmaniandevil makes a good point about those holes, the person who removed the last satellite dish did you no favours not filling the old bolt holes in.

 

[arclight]

Just a warning for anyone tackling a wasps nest.
If you get stung near the nest the stinging wasp emits a sound inaudible to humans, but clearly heard by other wasps. It's an alarm call and you could get the lot from the nest after you.

 

[Marcel]

Tazmaniandevil makes a good point about those holes, the person who removed the last satellite dish did you no favours not filling the old bolt holes in.

*ahem*

/kicks old satellite dish behind the wall.



I've only seen one bee out front today, which went into that hole. Mind you it's been a quite cold day though.

 

[Astraeus]

In a similar vein - but let me know if it's a hijack and requires its own thread - what have people found is the best means of keeping wasps away when outside? My girlfriend is petrified of the things and it makes it difficult to eat/sit/play about outside and so I'd love to have a solution.

Has anyone found anything to burn, any sunscreen to wear or anything which these buggers seem particularly unkeen on?

 

[Twentyten]

If they are honey bees are local beekeeper may be interested in 'taking' a swarm. My folks used to do this quite often. Honey bees are in decline at the moment, so if possible this is a much better option.

I did this a few years ago, we had a problem with honey bees under the floorboards, so i thought why don't i get in touch me a mate who keeps bees he can take them away:shrug:

He didn't need them, but put me in touch with a mate of his that might be interested, he came round, had a long look, shook his head, and promptly killed them all.

 

[wegotitugetit]

you need to get rid of them pest control and block the holes up any hole bit of cement or what ever it is and reseal it scrap all the bad stuff away will proball take a day or so a builder will charge a fortune any hole is a goal to wasp or bees so get all holes blocked off imidiatley they may come back if you dont

 

[Cobra]

*ahem*

/kicks old satellite dish behind the wall.



I've only seen one bee out front today, which went into that hole. Mind you it's been a quite cold day though.

Even on a cooler day they are usually working from sun up to sun down
Of course I can't see the situation from here but from what you have said
I am guessing ( as previously stated) that its either a "lost one ( or two)

Or they have buggered off just keep an eye on it for the next couple of days

Oh and don't worry too much about the "holes" you will never proof a
house against wasps or bees they will find holes that you wouldn't believe

As an aside I saw a queen wasp earlier munching on my newly erected fence
<cheeky b****r>
so they are "awake" and working right now.

Keep your eyes open, folks for "golf ball" sized structures
in your loft shed trees bushes.

 

[Cobra]

you need to get rid of them pest control and block the holes up any hole bit of cement or what ever it is and reseal it scrap all the bad stuff away will proball take a day or so a builder will charge a fortune any hole is a goal to wasp or bees so get all holes blocked off imidiatley they may come back if you dont

See the Above post
they get under roof tiles sofit and facia boards there is no way to stop wasps / bees
setting up home.
Some places are more prone, if you are on a "flight path" for instance or surrounded by trees,
they seem to like that tall conifers that attract a lot of
insects, which in turn are food for that baby wasps.
So any of the above will increase your chances.

 

[Marcel]

Thats the point, because of where we are, I think we may well be on a flight path.

Black is our house and the possible path.
The green to the right is large open fields, leading to 'th'ills and motorway etc/countryside.
Theres a road, and the green below our house is a large open communal green.

I don't know the ins and outs of bee / wasp habits, but I'd say we're on the flight path for the large area behind us.

 

[Cobra]

Thats the point, because of where we are, I think we may well be on a flight path.
.

I would say that its reasonable to assume that you are given the drawing

If you are and the nest is not actually in your property you are going to be bothered by them for the rest of the year unless
1) they move on ( which is not that un common)
2) who's ever house / garden they are in has them dealt with]
As before just keep an eye on the weep hole that you have seen them "going in"
Activity will increase if they have set up home
However they are not like wasps where the queen
starts a colony from scratch, so you get a few > leading to thousands late August / September.
A bee colony splits with a fresh queen leading away, perhaps half the colony
in one hit,
So they invade in there hundreds if not thousands and the colony grow
from there until a new queen is allowed to hatch and lead away
half the colony ad infinitum ..................

 

[whitewash]

In a similar vein - but let me know if it's a hijack and requires its own thread - what have people found is the best means of keeping wasps away when outside? My girlfriend is petrified of the things and it makes it difficult to eat/sit/play about outside and so I'd love to have a solution.

Has anyone found anything to burn, any sunscreen to wear or anything which these buggers seem particularly unkeen on?

jam jar with some wasp sized holes in the lid, half fill with some sort of sugary sweet watery substance (jam watered down) and a touch of washing up liquid to ensure that the surface tension is reduced sufficiently.

should attract the wasps to it and trap/kill them,

 

[Cobra]

In a similar vein - but let me know if it's a hijack and requires its own thread - what have people found is the best means of keeping wasps away when outside? My girlfriend is petrified of the things and it makes it difficult to eat/sit/play about outside and so I'd love to have a solution.

Has anyone found anything to burn, any sunscreen to wear or anything which these buggers seem particularly unkeen on?

Yep the jam jar is a good one
Citronella oil or candles is ( are) supposed to deter them also
I have never used it & TBH, they never "bother me" they wouldn't dare

But seriously if you start waving your arms around trying to swat them
they will attack back
if you ignore them they don't bother you.

 

[Little Man]

I absolutely dispise bee's and wasp's with a passion, i'm utterly petrified of them. They make my skin crawl.

Urgh. *shivvers*

 

[Cobra]

I absolutely dispise bee's and wasp's with a passion, i'm utterly petrified of them. They make my skin crawl.

Urgh. *shivvers*

and if there were not hundreds / thousands of people like you in the world I would be out of a job

 

[Marcel]

Right, after a few non-eventful days where I saw only one or two over the course of the day, I think one went inside the hole the other(s) flew off (after hovering about, landing, flying, landing, hovering, then buggering off).

I checked again today and there is increased activity. There are about 2 or so at any one time now (maximum).

Here is a closeup of one just sat on the wall somewhere

and here are a couple heading for their new home

Is it time to call in the council pestie section yet? And are they likely to get rid of whatever is there? I dont want to call them out for them to say 'There's probably not a hive in there' or 'Theyre bees, sorry mate, im not allowed...see ya!' and for me to have wasted my money. (Well, mastercard's money)

 

[Cobra]

'unny beez

I still find it strange that there is only one or three about
If you get someone out they will inject a "residual" action powder in the the hole (s)
this will kill anything entering or exiting.

Be sure to tell them that they are bees if / when you call and they will tell
you whether or not they will deal with them
IF they won't, as before, whack your post code into the link I provided
and it will ( should) give you a few more contact details.

Personally if they were in my house I would leave them
But then I have the option of dealing with them "at anytime" should they get
bolshy.

All I can say is if you are worried call them.