Pest control
Wasps
Description
The Wasp has yellow and black markings. There is a waist between the back part of the body and the section where the wings are.
Check they are not bees
Bees are often confused with wasps.
We do not offer a treatment service for bees.
Check the British Pest Control website for more pictures and advice for controlling bees.
These pictures show some common bees.
Honey bees are normally a more orangey brown in colour, and are hairy.
Bumble bee
Red mason bee
Picture credit: David Short from Windsor, UK, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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Hover flies
Hover flies are very similar to wasps, but the yellow and black banding on a hover fly is more definite and even. It is also normally smaller than a wasp.
Wasp nest
A wasp nest looks round, grey and paper-like in structure. The entrance hole is usually found at the base of the nest. A nest is normally only used once.
Wasps are most active during the day so the best time to treat is at dusk, when most of the wasps will be in the nest. Wasps normally start to die off around October-November time. This is when the queen leaves the nest to hibernate.
Wasp stings
Wasps become a nuisance to humans mainly in late summer as the weather gets cooler when they become more likely to sting.
A wasp, unlike a bee, can sting many times.
Although the wasp sting is not normally serious, it can be very painful, and in certain cases can cause a severe reaction.
How to treat by yourself
To treat the nest, you can use an insecticidal powder or liquid that has a long lasting effect.
You must follow the instructions carefully on the container. You will normally be required to spray the treatment around the entrance hole to the nest. As the wasps become active, they will tread on the treatment, taking it back into the nest - this will kill the queen, the wasps and the grubs.
The treatment will normally be successful within 3-4 days, but some times it may be necessary to re-treat.
How the Council will treat
Our Pest Control Officers use a powder treatment and using very similar procedures to those detailed above. If the treatment isn't successful, then you must ring back within 7 days.