Signs of a Wasp Nest: What to look for

Identifying a wasp nest early is an important skill to have if you want to prevent wasp stings which are painful, or can even lead to allergic reactions in the worst cases. Wasps can really be the bane of the spring and summer months, especially if there’s a nest in your property, or very close by.

Fortunately, there are a number of things you can look out for to ensure you prevent this from happening. A single wasp nest can contain thousands of wasps, so it’s important to keep an eye out for the tell-tale signs so that you can eliminate the pests before the problem escalates.

High Wasp Velocity

One of the most obvious signs that there’s a wasp nest in the vicinity is that there is an abnormally high number of wasps in your area. This can mean in your garden, or in your property. If you’ve noticed a lot of wasps around, this could well mean there’s a wasp nest in your property, garden, or nearby in a neighbouring property.

The likelihood of there being a wasp nest in your property increases at certain times of the year, so you can know when you need to be more vigilant for signs of a wasp nest. Wasps build their nests in the spring after they’ve woken up from hibernation, and this means you’re more likely to see signs of wasp nests around this time. During the spring months, make sure you keep an eye out for an abnormally high number of wasps around your property.

Know your nooks and crannies

There are also certain areas in which wasps are more likely to build their nests. The most important criteria for wasps is that the area is sheltered and has easy access to the outside. This means locations such as wall cavities, roof spaces, under eaves, bird boxes, sheds or garages are prime spots for wasps because they provide shelter from the weather and easy access to the outside world. Warm and dark places are especially favoured. To locate a possible nest in your property, watch for areas were wasps congregate, or frequently fly in and out of. This will become easier in the summer because the number of wasps will increase, so the location of the nest will become more obvious.

Don’t bee mislead

Finally, it is important to outline the difference between bees and wasps. Although easily confused, bees are in fact an endangered species, whereas wasps are not. This means that the treatment of bee hives is very different. A bee hive can still be removed, but this will only be the case if it poses a significant threat to those around it, and only after a professional bee keeper has been contacted. There are several ways you can differentiate wasps from bees including the fact wasps have less hair on their bodies than bees and have a tighter waist between the thorax and abdomen.

Buzzy people

In summary, we’re all busy people but identifying wasp nests can be a quick and simple process if you know what to look for, and they can be easily dealt with once you have. The information contained in this post should let you know what to look out for so you can catch wasp nests early, when they are easier to manage, so that you can continue with your buzzy lives!

If you’re looking for visual guidance, take a peek at this video of someone safely removing a HUGE wasps nest!