Wasp nest removal in Newton Park

If wasps have built a nest close to a door, window, stoep or walkway at your Newton Park home or business, the safest option is to have it treated and removed rather than trying to knock it down yourself. We treat the nest directly, remove it once the wasps are dealt with, and point out what made that spot attractive so they're less likely to build there again.

The wasps we see in Newton Park

Most calls are for paper wasps. They build open, grey, umbrella-shaped nests with the cells visible from underneath, hanging from a single stalk. They're slim, with long legs that dangle in flight, and they're usually yellow-and-brown or reddish.

Paper wasps aren't usually aggressive away from the nest. But if the nest is disturbed, or if it's somewhere people brush past it, they'll defend it, and the stings are painful. For anyone allergic to stings, a nest by the back door is a real risk.

You may also see mud daubers, which build small tubes of mud on walls and ceilings. They're solitary and rarely sting, so they usually don't need treatment.

Where they build in Newton Park

Newton Park's older houses have plenty of the sheltered, dry overhangs paper wasps look for:

• Under the eaves and in the gap behind fascia boards
• Inside gutters and downpipe brackets
• Around old wooden window frames and shutters
• Under carports, pergolas and stoep roofs
• Inside roof spaces, through gaps at the eaves

On the commercial side, wasps like the space behind shop signs, under awnings and canopies, and inside the frames of signboards along the main roads. Those spots are often right above an entrance, which is a problem for staff and customers walking underneath.

When you can leave a nest alone

Not every wasp nest needs removing. A small nest high up, well away from doors, windows and play areas, can often be left. The wasps hunt caterpillars and other garden insects, and the nest will be abandoned at the end of the season. If it's somewhere nobody goes, keep an eye on it and leave it be.

When it should come down

• It's next to a door, window, washing line, stoep or walkway
• Someone in the house is allergic to stings
• Children or pets play nearby
• It's above a shop entrance or customer area
• It's growing quickly, or there are several nests

How we deal with wasp nests

1. We locate every nest. Where there's one, there are often more around the same house, especially along the same roofline.
2. We treat the nest directly with a targeted product, so the wasps that return to it are dealt with too.
3. We remove the nest once it's safe, so it isn't rebuilt or reused.
4. Where useful, we treat the overhang with a residual product to discourage new building there.

Keep children and pets away from the area during treatment and until any treated surfaces are dry.

The mistake to avoid

Knocking a nest down with a broom or hosing it. The wasps come out to defend it, you get stung, and the survivors often rebuild nearby. Spraying a nest with a household aerosol from close range has the same risk. If you're not comfortable, or the nest is above head height, leave it to us.

A local tip

Check under the eaves and inside gutters in early spring, when queens are starting new nests. At that stage, a nest might be the size of a coin with a single wasp on it. It's far easier to deal with then than in mid-summer, when it can be the size of your hand.

What does it cost?

It depends on how many nests there are, how high they are and how easy they are to reach. A single nest under a low eave is a quick job. Several nests along a high roofline, or one inside a roof space or behind a shop sign, takes longer. A tiny nest at the very start of spring, low down and away from people, you may be able to handle yourself with care. We'll quote once we know where the nests are.

For more on wasps, read our wasp guide, or see wasp control across Port Elizabeth. Wasps are one of several flying insects we treat in Newton Park. We also remove wasp nests in Mill Park nearby, and our Newton Park pest control overview lists the other services we offer locally.

Call 087 012 5550, or WhatsApp us a photo of the nest and tell us where it is.