Wasps potentially building a nest in soffitts?

NIMAN

Earlier today I noticed a wasp or 3 coming in and out of a space beside an overflow pipe in my soffit at rear of house.

No great activity. Just the odd one over the space of an hour or so.

I sprayed into the gap with loads of fly killer spray. Maybe 5 times in a hour.

Then noticed a single wasp enter the air vent on the same soffit but maybe 15ft off to one side.

So sprayed all the air vents with the wasp killer....been keeping an eye now for another hour and nothing except 1 dying wasp directly below said air vent. Not sure if it fell out or was there anyway.

So does anyone think I need to get this looked at professionally?
Or should I just keep an eye?

If it's in early stages of the nest build, could I buy some nest killer powder and puff it up into the gaps and air vents?

Could I tape them up until winter?

Should I have a climb into the attic crawl space to see if I can see anything or best stay out?

IAMAMORON

It is early season so any nests will tend to be small. If it was any sort of large size you would know all about it fairly quickly.

Wasp nests migrate seasonally, well the queens do. So it is plausible that a queen is attempting to get one going. Anywhere around Attics and insulation are textbook areas for nest development.

I would wait until night time before having a peak into the area with a torch in your attic. It will be probably be small at this stage, if it is big it will be a dormant nest most likely from last year. Workers and drones die seasonally and the remaining queen immigrates elsewhere. It is plausible that you observed queens coming out of hibernation.

Don't go near it without proper gear, there is no need to be a hero. Falling off a ladder and breaking a leg would be no fun, but compound that with developing anaphylactic shock from 50 odd wasp stings and you will wish you rang your local pest controller. Be careful.

NIMAN

Thanks for that.

First off, I have had anaphylactic reactions in the past (Not from stings) and won't be taking any chances in that regard.

Secondly, I would be a regular visitor to my crawl spaces over the last few years and never really noticed any nests in the eaves, unless they could possibly have built them under flooring I put in to help we crawl around.

Finally, should it be that there is a nest, would it be best to get it sorted or leave it be? I'd be afraid it would make any crawl space out of bounds, and id be in and out a couple of times every year. Any danger that they would get into the interior of the house or would they continue to leave via air vents etc to the outside?

IAMAMORON

I would exterminate any insect nests in the vicinity of your house. If you have the potential of anaphylactic reaction just pay pest control, not worth risking it for a few quid. The earlier you exterminate the less hassle in the long run.

Given the absence of general hardware stores not opening currently it will be difficult for you to source foam or powder now anyway unless you have some.

Get rid of it, nip it in the bud so to speak. That last thing you need in mid June or July is a large nest near your house.

NIMAN

I got a wasp sting last summer or the one before (cant remember which now) and no reaction thankfully. I know that's no guarantee the next sting mightnt cause a reaction.

Will keep an eye out over the day or two and see if any more activity.

IAMAMORON

NIMAN wrote: »

I got a wasp sting last summer or the one before (cant remember which now) and no reaction thankfully. I know that's no guarantee the next sting mightnt cause a reaction.

Will keep an eye out over the day or two and see if any more activity.

Wait until midnight tonight and bring a torch up to your attic. They will be fast asleep. It will allow you to at least observe the size of any nest. It should be tiny this time of year, even as small as a sliotar or tennis ball.

NIMAN

Aye, but are they light or heavy sleepers!

I don't think I'll be able to do that, access to that area is through the 2 kids bedrooms, couldn't be up crawling around with a torch at midnight, especially if I'm liable to let a yelp outta me!

Seen no more activity at all from about 5pm until now. What would normally be their 'busy' time if they were coming and going from a nest being built?

McCrack

I think posters have given you more than adequate advice

Scotty #

Haven't tried myself but I believe spraying the nest with Zippo lighter fuel or a small drop of petrol will send them packing. Obviously you don't light it, but the fumes driver them away. White Spirit may work too.

IAMAMORON

Scotty # wrote: »

Haven't tried myself but I believe spraying the nest with Zippo lighter fuel or a small drop of petrol will send them packing. Obviously you don't light it, but the fumes driver them away. White Spirit may work too.

I sincerely would not advise this method at all. If you wake up a nest during removal/ extermination be prepared for hell. Nest populations have been known to chase exterminators for a couple of miles. Wasps produce a pheromone when they attack you which incites it's family to instantaneously attack and sting also.

Dossing around with an active nest and some lighter fuel could get very nasty very quickly. You could end up in real trouble, fast.

Also burning nests in attics or trees bring along other obvious risks. You could easily cause a fire.