Wasp nest in ground

[Steven P]

I got 'a man' to deal with one before I got the roofers in - I thought if they see a nest they'll be off and weeks before I can book them in again,

 

Usually they will die off, cold, but occasionally will survive the winter.. particularly if they have a warm nest. The will need a purpose in life (a queen) usually, rare but some queens take over where the old one died and a nest can be reused the next year. In mine the new queens were good and took off into the wilds apart from 1 lazy queen each year who nested in the insulation and made a new nest in the loft.

 

I know it is a cost but for peace of mind if I was getting work done again I'd get someone in to deal with it if I saw wasps in the loft. Depends on the loft, I'd consider  long stick and prodding it - with a quick escape planned just in case and do to sure (stick, kids arrow, tennis ball....). Wasps also fly towards light, stick the loft light on and any wasps will fly round it - curious - and another test, put the light on come back 10 mins later and see.

 

 

My 'man' spent more time telling me wasp stuff than he did squirting powder at them!!

[Muddy42]

16 hours ago, Steven P said:

I got 'a man' to deal with one before I got the roofers in - I thought if they see a nest they'll be off and weeks before I can book them in again,

 

Usually they will die off, cold, but occasionally will survive the winter.. particularly if they have a warm nest. The will need a purpose in life (a queen) usually, rare but some queens take over where the old one died and a nest can be reused the next year. In mine the new queens were good and took off into the wilds apart from 1 lazy queen each year who nested in the insulation and made a new nest in the loft.

 

I know it is a cost but for peace of mind if I was getting work done again I'd get someone in to deal with it if I saw wasps in the loft. Depends on the loft, I'd consider  long stick and prodding it - with a quick escape planned just in case and do to sure (stick, kids arrow, tennis ball....). Wasps also fly towards light, stick the loft light on and any wasps will fly round it - curious - and another test, put the light on come back 10 mins later and see.

 

 

My 'man' spent more time telling me wasp stuff than he did squirting powder at them!!

 

Thanks, that's what I am worried about - that the queen will survive. I think I'll get a cheap bee suit and remove everything in the depths of winter.

[Peasgood]

11 hours ago, Muddy42 said:

 

Thanks, that's what I am worried about - that the queen will survive. I think I'll get a cheap bee suit and remove everything in the depths of winter.

You will be wasting your time, they won't reuse the nest and neither the queen or any others will overwinter in it. The non queens (workers) die off at this time of year and the new queens that overwinter to start new nests have already left. I am already finding overwintering queens in their dormant state in the logpile and elsewhere.