Wasp Control for Bentley Restaurants, Pubs and Commercial Premises

Takeaways and cafés generate the kind of waste that wasps love, so the bin yard is often where a commercial wasp problem begins and where it can be tamed.

The bin yard is the first place wasps find

Ask anyone who runs a café or takeaway where the wasps gather, and the answer is rarely the dining room. It is the back door. Empty syrup bottles, sugary cups, ice cream tubs and food scraps all end up in the same place, and on a warm day the smell carries.

Individual wasps visit for food, but they live in a nest, and the nest is usually not far away. A colony begins in early April if the spring is mild, and by August it can hold as many as 2,000 wasps. The workers go out repeatedly, so a bin store near a hedge, a fence or a gap in a brick wall can end up with a constant stream of traffic.

For a business in Bentley, the practical question is not why wasps like food waste, because that is obvious, but where they are returning to once they have taken what they want.

Following the traffic back to its source

Stand a good distance from the bins on a sunny day and watch which way the wasps leave. They tend to fly in a fairly straight line. If several leave in the same direction and others arrive from it, you have a clue to the nest position.

Common hiding spots around the back of commercial premises include:

• gaps under roof edges and fascias of outbuildings;
• air bricks and cracks in the wall behind the bins;
• the base of a hedge or a patch of bank beside a car park;
• wooden pallets, sheds and storage units that are rarely opened;
• cavities beside extractor ducts and flues.

Do not go closer to investigate. A nest that is being approached can provoke a defensive swarm, and anybody carrying bin bags is not in a good position to back away calmly. Make a note of what you saw and leave the final identification to the technician.

Housekeeping that takes the pressure off

There is no cleaning routine that removes a nest, but there are habits that reduce the number of wasps crowding the entrance while you wait.

• Use bins with lids that close properly, and do not let bags pile up beside them.
• Rinse out sugary containers before they go into the recycling.
• Take waste out in smaller, more frequent trips during hot weather rather than in one large load at close.
• Wipe down the bin lids and the ground beside them.
• Keep the back door shut where fire rules and ventilation allow, so wasps are not drawn into the kitchen or prep area.

Staff should also know what to do if someone is stung. Wash the area, remove the sting if it is visible, and apply a cold pack. If there is swelling of the face, lips or throat, wheezing, difficulty breathing, dizziness or a widespread rash, call 999. Anybody who knows they have an allergy should speak to their GP about it.

When the nest is on shared or neighbouring ground

Back yards behind rows of units are often shared, and a nest in a hedge, fence or wall may not sit on your own plot. That should not stop you reporting it, but it does change who needs to say yes before work starts.

If you rent the premises, read your tenancy agreement or lease, or ask your landlord or managing agent who deals with pest problems. If the nest is on a neighbouring property, a polite conversation with the occupier usually settles things, particularly when the wasps are affecting both of you. What the law or your agreement says about responsibility is something to check for yourself rather than assume.

When you call to book, tell the technician honestly where the nest appears to be and who owns the land. The technician cannot go ahead without the customer’s agreement, and it is better to sort out permission first so the visit is not wasted.

If more than one nest turns up around the yard, mention that as well. A further nest at the same property is a flat £25 extra, and it is more efficient to have the technician look at everything in one visit than to book a second callout.

Quiet, discreet treatment

Food businesses worry about two things: customers seeing a pest-control van and the idea that chemicals are being used near food. The Wasp Exterminator sends fully insured, qualified technicians, and the work is directed at the nest, which is treated rather than left to grow. If the nest is at the rear of the building, the visit may hardly be noticeable from the front.

The price is fixed at £70 per nest, and a second nest at the same property is £25 extra. There is no call-out charge. The figure is confirmed on the phone before the technician arrives, and nothing is done until you agree. Access can change the picture: if a nest is somewhere that needs special equipment to reach, the price might be higher, and you will be told first.

The service is open seven days a week and same-day visits are available, which suits a trade where closing for a day costs money. Domestic and commercial customers are both covered, so a flat above the shop can be handled in the same visit if there is a second nest.

Making the booking

A manager or owner can ring 07798 792 774 or use the online booking form or the contact page. When you do, say that the premises is a food business, describe where the traffic is and when the bins are collected, so the technician can avoid the busiest period. When the form is submitted, the technician covering your area is alerted by SMS and email.

If the building is rented, check your tenancy agreement or ask the landlord who should arrange pest work. After the visit, carry on with the bin routine for a while; it keeps stragglers from lingering and tells you quickly if anything else is wrong.

Frequently asked questions

More wasp advice for Bentley