Wasps and Bees

The size of a wasp can vary from a worker at 10-15mm long to a queen which is approximately 20mm long. They have two pairs of wings and their bodies bear the characteristic black and yellow bands. The sting is only possessed by the females and is concealed near the tip of the abdomen.  The two main species that exist in the United Kingdom are the common wasp and the German wasp. Both species build nests underground or in cavities or trees, walls and buildings.

Although wasps are considered a nuisance they do not actually spread disease. Wasps can give a nasty sting but generally only do so when angry or frightened. They do have benefits however, and early summer wasp grubs feed on other insect pests.  Controlling and therefore treating wasp nests should only really be carried out if the nest poses a threat to the people around it. Nests can be either treated with a proprietary insecticide or for a charge, the nest can be removed by a trained Pest Controller.

Wasp nests can seem a fearful problem but their inmates live only a few months between late Spring and Autumn. Unless the nest is in a hazardous location, it can be left to die naturally and is never reused. It is worth noting that wasps are useful pollinators and pest controllers in their own right. A typical nest consumes thousands of insects from your flowers and vegetables.

Hazardous nests can be treated with insect powder from DIY stores or garden centres. Nests are easily recognised by the flight of wasps entering a hole in the ground or under the eaves of buildings carrying insects in and refuse out. Around dusk is the best time and pesticide labels should always be read carefully.

Bees are much less aggressive but can seem quite alarming when they swarm in late Spring, often due to overcrowding in their colony.  Thousands of bees settle temporarily, hanging in a mass from a tree or lamppost while their scouts find new accommodation in an hour or so. If the swarm stays longer, we keep a list of beekeepers who will remove the swarm for their own hives free of charge.

Torbay council no longer provides a wasp/bee nest removal service.