Advice
How to Tell If You Have a Wasp Nest at Your Property
A wasp nest is often hidden in a loft, wall or shed, so knowing the early signs helps you act calmly before the colony grows.
Read the guide →£90
Wasp nest treatment, fixed price
We confirm the price with you before any work starts. It can depend on where the nest is and how easy it is to reach. Call 01392 590 140 or send an enquiry.
Leave the nest alone while you wait. Blocking an entrance or spraying it yourself risks angry wasps and stings, and it rarely solves anything. Keep children and pets away from that side of the property. Tell us where you can see the wasps going and how high up it is, and we will take it from there.
Cottages, barns and outbuildings
Older stone and cob cottages often have small gaps in the walls, under the eaves and around chimneys, and wasps find them easily. In Sidbury we would expect nests in lofts, wall voids, sheds, old farm buildings and garages as much as in houses. The colony is sometimes right above a bedroom ceiling. Thick old walls can hide a nest completely, so the only clue may be wasps vanishing into a tiny crack.
Outbuildings are easy to forget about. A shed or workshop that nobody opens in summer can hold a large nest by August, and the first sign is a stung hand when you go in for a tool. If you have a building like that, look from outside first and avoid walking close to the door. Pass on anything that helps us find it, such as which side of the building and roughly how far up.
Living near fields and hedgerows
Open countryside around Sidbury means plenty of natural nesting spots in banks, hedges, tree hollows and even old rodent burrows in the ground. Ground nests can be a surprise: wasps appearing from a hole in a lawn or a bank, with a busy stream of traffic in and out. Mowers and strimmers can disturb them badly. Farm machinery and animals can also disturb a nest, so keep livestock and working dogs clear of the area.
If you find a nest in the garden, mark the area from a distance and keep dogs and children well away. We treat nests in the ground, hedges and trees as well as in buildings, and we will say honestly if a nest is somewhere that does not need dealing with. It is far better to have a nest dealt with than risk a sting on a ladder or a tractor seat.
Booking a visit in Sidbury
When you call, tell us what you have seen, roughly where the wasps are going and whether there are ladders or steep roofs involved. The technician treats the nest with a professional product so the colony dies back, and can advise on clearing the old nest and sealing the gap. We cover the whole Sid valley, including Sidford and Sidmouth, so Sidbury is a regular part of our rounds in the EX10 area.
Frequently asked questions
There is a wasp nest in a hedge at the edge of my Sidbury garden. Does it need treating?
It depends how close it is to where you walk, play or sit. A nest far from the house may do no harm, but one near a path, washing line or gate is risky. Call and describe where it is and we will advise.
Can you treat a wasp nest in an old barn or outbuilding?
Yes. Barns, sheds and workshops are common places for nests. Access may be awkward, so tell us about ladders, roof height and how the building is used. We will plan the visit around that and treat the nest safely. We will talk it through and agree a safe plan.
Are wasps in the ground the same as a nest in the loft?
They are the same insects, but a ground nest looks different: a hole in a lawn or bank with wasps flying straight in and out. We can treat these too. Do not pour anything down the hole or block it yourself. We can advise on the safest way to leave it alone.