If you have found a wasp nest at your Jeffreys Bay house, the safest move is to leave it alone and have it treated properly. Knocking it down with a broom or hosing it usually ends with angry wasps and stings, and the survivors often rebuild nearby. A direct treatment of the nest, followed by removal once the wasps are dead, solves it in one go.
Why wasps do so well here
The paper wasps we see most often in J-Bay build open, umbrella-shaped nests of grey papery cells, hanging from a single stalk. They like sheltered, dry spots with a bit of warmth: under eaves and fascia boards, beneath patio and carport roofs, under deck boards, inside the frames of outdoor showers, behind shutters, on the underside of outdoor furniture and inside meter boxes and gate motors.
A beach house that stands empty for months is ideal. Nobody opens the shutters, uses the outdoor shower or sits on the deck, so a nest started in spring can grow undisturbed. Then the family or the guests arrive, everyone heads outside and the wasps defend their territory. Fynbos and flowering gardens nearby give the adults plenty of nectar, and they hunt caterpillars and other insects to feed their young.
Signs of a wasp nest
- Wasps repeatedly flying to and from the same spot on the roofline, deck or wall
- A grey, papery comb hanging under an overhang
- Wasps gathering at an outdoor shower, pool edge or tap where they collect water
- Wasps chewing at wooden fences, decks or garden furniture to collect material for building
- Sudden stings near a door or window you have not used for a while
How we deal with nests
- Find all the nests. There is often more than one. We check the eaves, decks, patio roofs, outdoor showers, shutters, garden walls and outbuildings.
- Treat each nest directly. We apply an insecticide straight to the nest so the wasps on it are killed, including those returning later.
- Remove the nest once it is safe, so it does not attract new queens.
- Treat favourite building spots with a residual product where wasps tend to rebuild.
- Advise on what draws them. Water sources, sugary drinks outside and fallen fruit all play a part.
Stay indoors with windows closed while we work on a nest near a door, and keep children and pets away from the area until we say it is clear.
Holiday lets and guesthouses
A guest stung on the deck is a bad start to a holiday, and some people react badly to stings. If you manage a let, add a quick check of the eaves, deck and outdoor shower to your pre-season list, or book a wasp inspection a few weeks before the first guests arrive. Small nests found early are a quick job. The same pre-season visit can cover the roof space for rodents and bird nests, which tend to build up in the same quiet months.
A local tip
Outdoor showers are a favourite in J-Bay, and wasps love them: they offer water, shade and a timber frame to build on. Check the underside of the shower roof and the corners of the frame each time you open up the house, and keep the area dry when it is not in use.
The common mistake
Trying to knock down a nest during the day with a broom, hose or golf club. The wasps are all home and will defend it, and you risk several stings and a fall off a ladder. If you insist on dealing with a very small, new nest yourself, do it after dark with a suitable wasp spray, wearing long sleeves, and keep well back. Anything larger, high up or near a doorway is a job for us.
What does wasp nest removal cost?
The cost depends on how many nests there are, how high and accessible they are and whether you want a preventive treatment on the eaves and deck. A single nest at head height is a short job. Several nests on a double-storey house, or a large guesthouse property, take longer. We quote once we know what is there.
Wasps are one of the main flying insect problems we treat in Jeffreys Bay, alongside flies and mosquitoes. For more about wasps themselves, see our wasp behaviour and nest guide, or compare wasp nest treatment in Walmer and our main wasp control page for Port Elizabeth. Other pests in town are covered on our Jeffreys Bay pest control page.
Call 087 012 5550, or WhatsApp us a photo of the nest and where it is, and we will take it from there.
Questions we get asked
Should I knock a wasp nest down myself?
We advise against it. Disturbing a nest in the day often leads to multiple stings, and surviving wasps may rebuild nearby.
Will the wasps come back to the same spot?
They can, because the shelter that attracted them is still there. Removing the old nest and treating the area makes a repeat much less likely.
Can you remove a nest on a double-storey roof?
Yes. We have the equipment to reach most eaves and roof overhangs safely.
When are wasps most active in Jeffreys Bay?
Nests grow through spring and are at their biggest in summer, just as the holiday season starts. Checking in spring catches them small.
What if someone is allergic to stings?
Keep them well away from the nest and tell us when you book. Anyone with a known allergy who is stung should get medical help immediately.