If there's a wasp nest on your Despatch property and someone keeps getting stung, it's time to have it removed. If it's small, out of the way and nobody goes near it, you might decide to leave it. Either way, don't try knocking it down with a broom. That's the quickest way to get stung several times at once.
The wasps you're most likely to see
Paper wasps
Long-legged, slender wasps, usually brown or yellow and black, that build open, umbrella-shaped nests made of paper-like cells. You can see the cells from underneath. These are the nests we remove most often in Despatch, and they're the ones that sting when disturbed.
Mud wasps
Solitary wasps that build small mud tubes or pots on walls, window frames and in garages. They rarely sting people and don't defend their nests the way paper wasps do. Usually they're more of a nuisance than a danger.
Where they nest around Despatch homes
Paper wasps want a sheltered spot out of the rain and wind, close to food. Despatch properties, with big yards and plenty of outbuildings, offer them a lot of choice.
- Under the eaves and fascia boards, especially on the sheltered side of the house
- In carports and under patio roofs
- Inside wendy houses, sheds and garages with doors left open
- In and around chicken coops and animal shelters
- Around gate posts, the pool pump housing and the underside of garden benches
- In dense shrubs and hedges, where they're easy to bump into while gardening
Nests start small in spring and grow through summer. A nest the size of a coin in October can be the size of your hand by February.
When a nest needs to go
Paper wasps do eat caterpillars and other garden pests, so a nest in a far corner of the yard isn't automatically a problem. But it's time to remove it if:
- It's near a door, window, washing line or play area
- Children or pets are getting stung
- Someone in the house is allergic to stings
- It's in the chicken coop or where you collect eggs
- It's growing fast and wasps are coming inside
How we remove wasp nests
- Locate. We find the nest, and check for others nearby. Where there's one, there are often more.
- Treat. We treat the nest directly, so the wasps on it and returning to it are dealt with.
- Remove. Once the wasps are dead, we take down the nest so it isn't rebuilt in the same spot.
- Advise. We'll tell you which sheltered spots on your property are likely to attract new nests, so you can keep an eye on them.
We work carefully around children, pets and animals, and keep treatment away from chicken feed and water.
A mistake that leads to stings
Spraying the nest with a can of insecticide in the middle of the day and then standing there to watch. Many of the wasps are out foraging, and they come back to find their nest under attack. They'll defend it. If you must deal with a tiny nest yourself, do it at dusk when the wasps are home, keep your distance, and have an escape route. For anything bigger than a coin, call us.
Wasps and your animals
Dogs snap at wasps and get stung on the mouth, and chickens scratching under a hedge can disturb a low nest. If a pet is stung and its face swells or it struggles to breathe, take it to the vet straight away.
A local tip
Walk around the house, carport and wendy house once a week in spring and look up. A new paper wasp nest is tiny, with just a few cells and one or two wasps, and much easier to deal with than a big nest in late summer.
What does wasp nest removal cost?
It depends on how many nests there are, where they are and how hard they are to reach. A single nest at the eaves is a short job. Several nests around a property with outbuildings, or one high up in a difficult spot, takes longer. If it's a small mud wasp nest on a window frame, you probably don't need us at all.
More reading
For a deeper look at how wasp colonies work, read our wasp guide. Wasps are one of several flying pests we treat; see flying insect control for Despatch homes. Elsewhere in the Bay, we offer wasp control in Port Elizabeth and wasp nest removal in Bluewater Bay. Our Despatch pest page has everything else.
Call 087 012 5550, or WhatsApp us a photo of the nest and where it is, and we'll tell you whether it needs to come down.
Questions we get asked
Should I remove a wasp nest myself?
For anything bigger than a coin, no. Disturbing a paper wasp nest often leads to multiple stings. Let us treat and remove it.
Will wasps come back to the same spot?
They often choose similar sheltered spots, sometimes the same one. Removing the old nest and checking that area in spring helps.
Are wasps dangerous?
For most people a sting is painful but not serious. For someone with an allergy, it can be an emergency, which is why nests near the house should be removed.
Can you remove a nest from inside the chicken coop?
Yes. We treat and remove it with care for the chickens, keeping treatment away from feed, water and nesting boxes.
When are wasp nests worst in Despatch?
Late summer, when nests have grown all season and colonies are at their largest.
Are mud wasps a problem?
Rarely. They're solitary and seldom sting. Their mud nests can be scraped off if they're in the way.