Wasp Nest in a Cavity Wall – How Professionals Treat Hidden Nests in Skellow

When wasps start turning up inside the house with no open window, the nest may be in the wall, and they are finding their way through small gaps.

The wasps that should not be there

You close the windows, shut the doors and still find a wasp on the kitchen worktop. Then another. By the evening you are removing three or four from the same room, and none of them seem to be coming from outside. That pattern is a strong hint of a nest in the wall behind.

A colony started in early April, in a mild spring, can grow to hold as many as 2,000 wasps by August. As it grows it can spread along the cavity, and any small opening to the inside of the house becomes an exit. For a household in Skellow, north-west of Doncaster near Adwick le Street, this is a common route for wasps to turn up indoors.

The difference between a few stray wasps that wandered in and a nest in the wall is the number and the consistency. Strays come in through open doors and leave again; wasps from a nest keep arriving from the same spot, day after day, and usually begin to appear after you notice some activity outside.

Where they come through

Wasps do not tunnel into a house at will, but they can use the gaps that every building has. Check, from a distance, around:

• light fittings and ceiling roses on an outside wall;
• sockets, switches and cable entries;
• the gaps around window frames and under windowsills;
• the boxing around pipes under a sink or radiator;
• skirting boards and the join between wall and ceiling;
• loft hatches and eaves cupboards.

Wasps that appear in a cluster in the same place are the giveaway. Do not poke or lean towards the gap to look more closely.

Take a moment to see whether the gaps line up with something outside. A light fitting under the eaves, a window beside a vent, a pipe going through a wall: the more of these that are on the same side as the outside traffic, the clearer the picture.

A calm response inside the house

Close the door of the room and put a rolled towel along the bottom. If wasps are in a room you can leave, do so, and keep the rest of the household out. Leave a window open if you wish to let them out, but do not chase them.

Don't switch lights on and off or swat at the ones that land on a fitting. Don't cover the gap with tape or filler, because the wasps inside will find another exit. Keep food and drink covered, and keep pets away.

If someone is stung, wash the area, take out the sting if you see it and use a cold pack. Swelling of the face, lips or throat, wheezing or difficulty breathing, dizziness or a widespread rash needs a 999 call. People with known allergies should talk to their GP.

A person with a known allergy should leave the room or the house until the visit is over. It is a sensible precaution for anyone who is nervous around wasps.

Think about moving bedding, toys and anything else stored close to the wall, so that the room is less attractive to anyone who has to go back into it.

What the technician needs to hear

The technician decides how to treat a hidden nest, and the more accurately you describe the pattern, the better. Useful details include:

• which room and which wall the wasps are appearing in;
• how many you have seen, and over how many days;
• whether any are seen outside the house as well;
• whether there is a vent or air brick on the same side of the building;
• any recent building work, damp or gaps in the plaster.

With that, the visit can concentrate on the entry point and the nest in the cavity. The technicians are fully insured and qualified, and nothing is done until you agree.

If you can safely take a clear photograph from across the room of where the wasps are emerging, it can help the technician understand the position before arriving.

Another helpful detail is whether the wall has been drilled or had pipework fitted recently, since fresh gaps give wasps an easy route.

The fixed price and how to arrange it

The Wasp Exterminator charges £70 per nest for treatment, with an extra nest on the same property at £25 extra, and no call-out charge. The price is agreed on the phone first. In unusual cases where special access equipment is needed to reach a high nest, the figure might be higher, and you would know before the visit.

Same-day service is offered seven days a week, and the firm works for homes and businesses. You can phone 07798 792 774, or use the online booking form or the contact page, and the technician for your area is informed by SMS and email straight away.

Domestic and commercial customers are both covered, so a flat above a shop or an office in an older building receives the same service.

After the visit

Expect a small number of wasps to keep appearing for a short while. Once they have stopped, seal the gap that let them into the house, whether that is a ceiling rose, a socket surround or a gap under a sill. A competent decorator or builder can do it. Anything involving electrics must be done by a qualified electrician.

Ask when you book whether the empty nest can be taken down, and be realistic: a nest in a cavity may be out of reach. If the property is rented, speak to your landlord and read your tenancy agreement.

A small amount of caution goes a long way once the visit is over: leave the area clear until the technician says all is well.

Frequently asked questions

More wasp advice for Skellow