Wasp, wasp nest, bee and hornet information resource

Is it ok to leave a wasp nest?

We suggest that you have a wasp nest treated. This will prevent nuisance wasps annoying people during the summer and reduce the number of stings people receive.

It is not necessary to remove a nest which has been treated as it will never be reused.

Which other insects look like wasps?

Several other insects look like wasps, the most similar one is mason bees, but honey bees and hoverflies are also similar.

Mason bees look almost identical apart from they are furry and harmless and more orange than wasps. They like to nest in small holes. They are around for a few weeks in the spring after which they disappear. They lay their eggs and then pack mud into small holes in brickwork.

Honey bees look similar to wasps but are darker in colour and number in the thousands. Honey bees swarm whereas wasps do not.

Hoverflies look similar to wasps but are solitary, and their distinctive hovering behaviour gives them away. Wasps do not hover.

What does a bumble bee look like?

Bumblebees are black and fluffy, there are many different species of bumblebee, and there are different sizes of bumble bees, none of them look similar to wasps. With several species of bumblebee, the giveaway is a white bum.

Many people confuse tree bumble bees with wasps. They do not look similar. Tree bumblebees although smaller than your average bumble bee, are bigger than wasps and black.

Do wasp nests have to be treated at night?

With modern professional use insecticides, we can treat a wasp nest at any time of day or night. The result is the same; a dead nest!

How long will bees last?

A bumblebee nest will last through the summer and finish in the autumn. Unless they are posing a significant problem, we suggest you leave them alone and let them get on with what they do best.

Honey bee nests can last for years if healthy. Honey bees do not hibernate and survive on a store of honey over winter.

Does an old wasp nest prevent a new one being built in the same location?

No. Many homes have several old wasp nests in the loft spaces. Some houses will get a wasp nest most years. It depends on the location, age of the house and other factors.

Fake wasp nests are a gimmick.

How can I stop wasps nesting?

Unfortunately, there is nothing you can do to stop wasps nesting. If they can get inside your loft, shed or other location, they will nest there. If you were to block up all the entry points on your home, wasps could nest in the ground.

There is nothing available that works which will deter wasps from nesting.

Can a bumble bee nest be removed?

Depending on the location of the nest, it is possible to relocate bumblebees. Often some bumblebee species will nest in bird boxes. If this is the case, then you can have them removed and rehomed. Talk to your local pest controller for advice.

Can I be stung by a dead wasp?

Yes! If you have had a wasp nest treated, there will be lots of dead wasps around the area of the nest. If these dead wasps are stepped on with bare feet and the wasp stinger is upright, there is the possibility of being stung.

Why do wasps sometimes act drunk?

Wasp act drunk because they are starving. All flying insects use massive amounts of energy when the fly, so need to feed on high energy food. If wasps run out of food or are trapped indoors for any length of time they starve and act drunkenly. In the autumn when plants stop producing nectar, wasps switch to other sources of food which are lower in energy and this drunk like behaviour is more obvious.