Wasps’ nests in the garden are usually a cause for concern, as nobody wants to share their immediate surroundings with a wasp’s nest, which often sting. The situation is particularly serious if the owner of the property is allergic to wasp venom. We will tell you how to deal with their nest and how to recognise that wasps have visited your home.

Characteristics of wasps

Wasps can be found almost everywhere in the world. They are common throughout Europe, in northern Africa, in Asia (except in the south) and in North America (except in the centre). In Central Europe, they are active from April to October.

Worker wasps are 10 to 14 mm long, queen wasps are 16 to 18 mm long, and males are about 13 to 15 mm long. In Poland, there are about 10,000 species of wasps. The common wasp is yellow-black with stripes and has a characteristic constriction at the base of the abdomen, hence the saying about a wasp’s waist. The wasp’s sting is smooth, which means that it can sting repeatedly, unlike the hornet. The bee’s sting has a hook, which means that it remains in the human body along with a part of the abdomen containing the venom sac, and the bee dies after that.

In spring, the queen starts looking for a place to establish a colony and lay eggs after fertilisation in autumn. First, the worker bees hatch, which are not fertile. At the end of summer, the queen lays eggs from which fertile females hatch – the future queens and males. The workers build the nest and feed the larvae with dead and chewed insects such as aphids, caterpillars and the remains of small insect carcasses. This is why wasps are beneficial to the environment, as they protect crops from pests and damage. Their important role in plant pollination should not be forgotten either.

Adult wasps feed on carbohydrate-rich food: flower nectar, sweet fruits and juices.

Wasps do not attack on their own without a reason, but when it is hot outside, they are more irritable.

Where do wasps most often build their nests?

• Attics
• Old gazebos
• Corners in the roof soffit
• Branches of old trees
• Hollows
• Holes in the ground

How to protect your garden and house from wasps nesting?

Wasps do not like certain essential oils found in plants. These include mint, lemongrass and catnip. Additionally, you can rub clove oil on places where you have had problems with wasps in the past or where there is a likelihood of them nesting. The scent should deter the wasps. Prevention is also important. Check all gazebos, attics, old trees and hollows on your property and fill in any holes in the ground, as this is where wasp nests are often found. If you see the beginnings of a nest, it is best to remove it in good time.

How can I safely remove a wasp nest?

Removing an wasp nest is not always the responsibility of the fire brigade. The fire brigade will attend to life-threatening or health-threatening situations, i.e. for people with severe mobility impairments, disabled and elderly people, as well as in places where children are present, such as schools or kindergartens, and public places. In the case of family homes, where the wasps on the property do not pose a direct threat, a pest control company should remove the wasp nest.

We do not recommend using home remedies to remove nests. Pouring boiling water over the nests or burning them is dangerous for several reasons. Firstly, it is not 100% effective; pouring boiling water over them can only enrage the wasps, while burning the flammable cellulose nest can also cause an uncontrolled fire.

A professional pest control company can safely remove the wasp nest, so that property owners do not have to worry about unwanted insect bites. These people have the appropriate protective equipment and the means to remove the nest in the immediate vicinity in a way that is safe for everyone. The effectiveness of such a procedure is also extremely high, which is not so certain when using home methods on your own. It is also worth remembering that multiple stings, i.e. multiple bites by many individuals, are dangerous to humans, not only to allergy sufferers. A pest control company will also help you find a wasp nest.

What to do in case of a bite

A single sting does not pose a threat to people who are not allergic to wasp venom. However, the stinging pain caused by a wasp sting can be unpleasant. As a result of the release of the inflammatory agent histamine, the blood vessels in the area of the bite dilate and cause redness, swelling and itching. The bite can then be treated with a soothing gel containing hydrocortisone or a common fenistil gel. If there is no medical product for insect bites at hand, then home remedies can be helpful in dealing with pain and reducing swelling.

Popular natural remedies include

• lemon juice,
• vinegar compress,
• baking soda compress,
• lavender oil,
• ice cubes
• and aloe vera gel.