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AIBU?

NDN won't get rid of a wasps' nest

39 replies

DoloresLandingham · 12/07/2015 22:30

During the really hot weather we noticed a constant stream of wasps flying in an out of a gap behind the fascia board on NDN's house. It's clearly visible from our side of the fence but they rarely use that corner of the garden as it's just a side return around their extension. It's right over our garden.

We knocked and told them about it, and they promised to look into it. I saw one of them in the street today and asked about it. He said that the council have a six-week waiting list for removal. I asked if he had considered a private company, and he said he didn't want to spend too much money on something which 'barely affects them'. I offered to pay half of the cost as we would benefit too but he said no. I reminded him that we have two very small children, whereas his are much older, but he was unmoved. We haven't seen many wasps in the garden yet as I think they're still building the nest (not that I know much about wasp behaviour...) but it's surely only a matter of time before there are a lot more of them around.

AIBU to feel that he's being selfish, and that we should be able to use the garden without a wasps' nest a few feet away, or am I being precious?!

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Crosbybeach · 12/07/2015 22:40

Precious.

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Crosbybeach · 12/07/2015 22:41

Posted too soon. Wasps have to live somewhere. V unlikely to harm you unless nest was in, say, your utility room and you had to pass it all the time.

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nannyplumislostinspace · 12/07/2015 22:44

YABU they will die in a few weeks. If you are that bothered offer to pay the whole amount.

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ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 12/07/2015 22:46

YABU and precious.

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Spydra · 12/07/2015 22:50

You can buy a can of gunk for. a fiver and do it yourself.

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Madeyemoodysmum · 12/07/2015 22:50

My neighbour did nothing about his a few years back. We couldn't eat in the garden that summer but otherwise the wasps did not hassle us. I was annoyed tho as b queuing was Impossible that year but what could I do!
I feel yr pain.
Good news is they never go back to the same nest again.

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thenightsky · 12/07/2015 22:54

YANBU Half each was a good offer. Wasps are horrible and get worse as August/Sept approaches.

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DoloresLandingham · 12/07/2015 22:55

Fair enough; thanks for your input.

Spydra, if it were on our property I would, but to access it I'd have to put up a ladder to get over the fence and access his second floor. Even if this weren't trespassing I wouldn't fancy being at the top of a ladder and surrounded by angry wasps...

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captainproton · 12/07/2015 22:59

Good job you don't live next to my father. He loves wasps, as a kid during the height of summer he would smear jam on his hands and let them feed off him. He roped my sister in too, I was not feeling the wasp love. However it did prove to me that if you kept still and ignored them and didn't run around screaming and flailing limbs about in the presence of a wasp you won't get stung.

But anyway if dad found a wasp nest on his property that was not really bothering him inside, then I'm sure he'd set up some kind of wasp surveillance hut and spend many hours with his little buddies feeding them jam and marmalade.

I know he is weird.

We have a bumble bee nest in a flower bed near my kitchen window and next to the kids sandpit. Kids and bees spend many happy hours in the same space completely uninterested in each other. I have taught the toddlers to look and not touch as they might bite them. Not sure about wasps as they are attracted to fruit/sugar and not all about pollen.

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Floralnomad · 12/07/2015 23:03

Unless you are going to offer to pay the whole amount ,and as its you they are bothering that seems reasonable ,I think your NDN has done enough by ringing the council .

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FrancesNiadova · 12/07/2015 23:03

Bees like sugar too, us beeks feed them sugar syrup in Autumn to get them ready for winter!

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DoloresLandingham · 12/07/2015 23:04

Proton I have a real double-standard when it comes to bees; I think of wasps as angry little Thinifers and bees as contented, chubby little Fattypuffs. Something to do with the sting - I am convinced that a bee sting is a noble act of self-sacrifice whilst a wasp sting is just vindictive. It's not just your dad who is weird Smile

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DoesItReallyMatter · 12/07/2015 23:21

I think the best thing to do would be to pay the difference between the council fee and the cost of a private company.

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captainproton · 12/07/2015 23:34

I thought bumble bee nests died in autumn?

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NeedsAsockamnesty · 12/07/2015 23:43

Yabu.

It's not bothering him enough to want it done quicker of it bothers you that much pay in full for it to be sorted

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dodobookends · 13/07/2015 00:09

They do come back and nest in the same place.

We had them twice at the front of our house, several years apart. The first time we got the council out as soon as we noticed, and the second time we decided to let them get on with it, as they don't seem to hang about near their nests but to fly in from far afield. Big mistake. When we gave in (because of the noise they were making - a sort of communal throbbing hum every evening, v. weird) and called the council, the man who came out said that judging by the numbers flying in and out of the hole, the nest was about 40,000 - 50,000 strong.

Your neighbour will find that the wasps will eat their way through rather a lot of wood in 6 weeks. They practically ate our porch away, and cost us a packet.

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tabulahrasa · 13/07/2015 00:15

Years ago we called out the council to deal with a wasp's nest we thought we couldn't get to...

A man came, sellotaped a tin of wasp powder to a stick to make it reach and shook it at the entrance to the nest.

I could have done that for free Hmm

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GiddyOnZackHunt · 13/07/2015 00:25

I'm allergic to the fecking jaspery bastards. I haven't once been stung whilst having a flap but have been stung about 10 times with wasps on clothes or in shoes.
I would get DH to shove a can of wasp murder at them or pay someone to kill them. So yabu. If it bothers you but not them then you need to pretty much pay for it.

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Fatmomma99 · 13/07/2015 00:33

I'm sorry, but like others here, I think the problem is for you so you need to find/pay for the solution.

But I'm sorry for your pain!

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velourvoyageur · 13/07/2015 00:34

When I was little we had a wasp's nest next to my bedroom window and in summer there were always wasps in the house. We wouldn't have dreamed of getting rid of them (although there were no allergies involved have to admit). My dad showed me how to pick them up and take them out of the house so they could find food. I've let loads crawl into my hands and can't remember being stung ever.

If all you're worried about is your kids getting stung....would you really kill a whole nest just to avoid the possibility Hmm

captain love the sound of your dad!
and loved watching their little wasp faces eat a smidge of honey off my finger all trusting and hungry :)

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Friedgreenpajamas · 13/07/2015 00:38

I'm that woman that runs around, tits flailing. Id pay whatever it took to kill the fuckers. Ideally with fire and hammers. Wasp-petters you are so very very wrong!

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WayneRooneysHair · 13/07/2015 06:35

I hate wasps so I feel your pain, I think the only solution is to move house OP.

I guarantee that if the wasps were bothering your neighbour he'd get rid of them like a shot.

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CakeLady1 · 13/07/2015 07:39

Hang a clear plastic bag full of water with a few pennies in near your house - to them, it looks like another wasps nest and will deter them from coming near.

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LIZS · 13/07/2015 07:49

I doubt this is about the money. When we needed a wasp nest removing , admittedly in a the eaves around a ground floor bay window so not involving ladders etc, it was less than £40 for a private firm. It simply isn't a priority as far as he is concerned.

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rollonthesummer · 13/07/2015 07:53

I'd pay to have it done if it was bothering me.

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