How to Tell If You Have an Active Wasp Nest on Your Gainsborough Property

Plenty of insects get mistaken for wasps. Knowing which one you have determines who should deal with it, and whether a wasp treatment is the right answer.

Check you have the right insect

Before assuming you have an active wasp nest, it is worth being sure the insects are wasps. Honeybees, bumblebees, hornets, hoverflies and solitary bees are all seen around buildings in summer, and several of them look a little like wasps at a glance.

This matters for two reasons. Bees are valuable and are not treated by a wasp service, and a colony of honeybees needs a beekeeper rather than a pest technician. And a wasp treatment is of no use if the thing living in your wall is something else.

Residents of Gainsborough, like anyone near gardens and open land, will see all of these insects through the warm months, so a little knowledge goes a long way.

A calm look at the facts usually settles the question within a few minutes.

What a wasp looks like

The common wasp has a smooth, slim body with sharp black and yellow bands, a narrow waist and a shiny, almost hairless look. It moves quickly and in a rather jerky way. Wasps are often seen chewing at wood, hanging around bins and landing on sweet food.

• Narrow, defined waist between the thorax and abdomen.
• Smooth, glossy body with little visible fur.
• Sharp yellow and black bands with a clean pattern.
• Fast, darting flight and quick landings.

Wasps are also predators of other insects, which they carry back to feed the grubs in the nest. If you see an insect carrying a smaller insect into a gap, it is very likely a wasp.

Size is another clue. The common wasp is a modest-sized insect, smaller than a hornet and a little slimmer than a bumblebee. A single insect in isolation can be hard to judge, so look at several if you can. Insects of the same size, colour and shape flying to the same opening are probably all of one kind.

Bees and what to do about them

Honeybees are smaller, more golden-brown and distinctly furry. Bumblebees are large, round and very hairy, with soft bands. Both fly more slowly and heavily than wasps and tend to visit flowers rather than food scraps.

If you have a bee colony in a wall, chimney or roof, do not treat it as a wasp nest and do not try to block it. Contact a local beekeeper or the relevant bee organisation. The Wasp Exterminator treats wasps and does not deal with bees.

If you cannot tell whether the insects are bumblebees or wasps, look at the fur and watch the flight. If the insects are plump and fuzzy, leave them and ask a beekeeper. If you are still unsure, take a photo from a safe distance and describe it by phone.

Honeybees often travel in a busy line from a hole in a wall and may form a cluster outside on warm days. Swarming bees hang in a ball from a branch or fence. That looks dramatic but is usually temporary, and a beekeeper will often collect it. Do not spray a cluster of bees or throw water at it.

Hornets and hoverflies

Hornets are larger than wasps, with more brown and orange colouring. They are less common and tend to nest in hollow trees and sheltered spaces. If you believe you have hornets, say so on the phone and describe what you have seen, because that is a different matter from a wasp nest and the technician will tell you where you stand.

Hoverflies are harmless mimics. They have wasp-like stripes, but they have only two wings, a stubby shape, large eyes and no visible waist. They hover in one spot and dart off, and they feed on flowers. They do not sting and do not make nests.

A lone insect hovering over a flower bed is much more likely to be a hoverfly than a wasp.

If a large brown and orange insect is flying to a nest in a tree hollow or an outbuilding, tell the person you speak to exactly what you can see rather than choosing a name for it. A clear description is more helpful than a label.

Pulling the clues together

Look at behaviour as much as appearance. A genuine wasp nest has a steady stream of identical insects going into one hole. A bee colony has similar traffic but with furrier insects, while hoverflies and solitary insects do not form that traffic at all.

Look also at where the activity is. Honeybees may use chimneys and wall cavities in the same way as wasps. Wasps build papery nests, whereas bees build wax comb, which you will not normally see from outside.

If it is a wasp nest, deal with it promptly during the warm months. If it is not, contact the right specialist.

Finally, think about timing. A nest that has appeared and grown over the summer months and is producing a steady stream of slim, striped insects is far more likely to be wasps than a one-off visit from a bee looking for flowers.

Booking when you are sure

The Wasp Exterminator treats wasp nests for a fixed £70 per nest, with an additional nest on the same property at £25 extra. There is no call-out charge, the service runs seven days a week, and same-day visits are offered. Ring 07798 792 774 or use the online form, and describe the insects and the location.

The price is confirmed on the phone before anyone comes out. It might be more only in difficult areas where special access equipment is needed, and nothing is done unless you have agreed.

If it turns out to be something else, you will at least know who to call.

Frequently asked questions

More wasp advice for Gainsborough