Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

Wasp nest in garden. How to get rid as they've just stung me twice.

46 replies

colourwheelofortune · 21/09/2023 18:30

Under the decking (next to the steps down to the bottom bit of the garden) wasps have made a nest. We just noticed lots of very small wasps buzzing around the lavender bushes. We thought just ignore them, not doing any harm and will die off in the winter.

So I went down the path, past the nest, didn't knock or disturb them and while I was about 8 feet away the bastards stung me. 2 painful stings all on my legs through the leggings, and a couple of minor stings.

a) how do I soothe my legs.
b) how do we get rid of the nest.

PS I need to get down the bottom of the garden to my bird feeders and there is no option except walk past the nest.

OP posts:
CantThinkOfANameAtAll · 21/09/2023 18:33

Leave it. Use bite and sting ointment on the stings in the meantime. I use the asda version on ant bites and it works.

Wasp nests usually last around three to four months during the summer. When we reach the end of summer and temperatures start to drop, so do wasp numbers. The colder weather and lack of food will kill off the nest and the new queens will hibernate ready for the next wasp season.

saltnsaucey · 21/09/2023 18:34

IME pest control are reluctant to get rid of bee or wasp nests for environmental reasons. Best to just avoid the nest if you can?

BloodandGlitter · 21/09/2023 18:34

They will die off really soon anyway, and they won't nest in the same place twice. They'll get used to you and not bother you.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

General health
cansu · 21/09/2023 18:35

Get an expert in to kill and remove.

CantThinkOfANameAtAll · 21/09/2023 18:36

So I went down the path, past the nest, didn't knock or disturb them and while I was about 8 feet away the bastards stung me. 2 painful stings all on my legs through the leggings, and a couple of minor stings.

Just saw this. They don't normally attack like this if they haven'tbeen disturbed so were they already swarming because of something else? Are you 100% certain you were stung and not bitten by mozzies?

OnAFrolicOfMyOwn · 21/09/2023 18:37

They will die off within the next couple of months and the bonus is that if the old nest is in situ, you won't get any more nests in that area as they don't re-use old sites.

Original poster
colourwheelofortune · 21/09/2023 18:51

CantThinkOfANameAtAll · 21/09/2023 18:36

So I went down the path, past the nest, didn't knock or disturb them and while I was about 8 feet away the bastards stung me. 2 painful stings all on my legs through the leggings, and a couple of minor stings.

Just saw this. They don't normally attack like this if they haven'tbeen disturbed so were they already swarming because of something else? Are you 100% certain you were stung and not bitten by mozzies?

Edited

DH used to be a bee keeper, and one of his bees stung me once (he called it his psycho hive because of the queen (or something, I just don't listen) so yes it was exactly the same sting. I ran screaming into the house after I felt the 3rd sting and one of the bastards followed me. DH sprayed it. So 100% certain lol

OP posts:
Original poster
colourwheelofortune · 21/09/2023 18:54

OnAFrolicOfMyOwn · 21/09/2023 18:37

They will die off within the next couple of months and the bonus is that if the old nest is in situ, you won't get any more nests in that area as they don't re-use old sites.

I was quite happy to leave them but now I've no other access to the bottom of the garden as the decking is fenced up to the path. The garden needs trimming back and the bird feeders restocking. Maybe I can put the ladder over the fence as its only about 3 ft high and a 3 foot drop the other side?

OP posts:
Original poster
colourwheelofortune · 21/09/2023 18:57

We've stood and looked at them several times and they've not done anything except fly around. DH says they are tanked up on rotting fruit and drunk and disorderly.

OP posts:
RecklessBlackberries · 21/09/2023 18:59

We had a wasps' nest in our gutter. We called a pest controller, he came round and puffed a load of poisonous powder in the area and they disappeared over the next couple of hours. This was about a month ago, we weren't willing to have limited garden access waiting for them to die off on their own in autumn.

Original poster
colourwheelofortune · 21/09/2023 19:03

RecklessBlackberries · 21/09/2023 18:59

We had a wasps' nest in our gutter. We called a pest controller, he came round and puffed a load of poisonous powder in the area and they disappeared over the next couple of hours. This was about a month ago, we weren't willing to have limited garden access waiting for them to die off on their own in autumn.

Its not the waiting that bothers me as that was our plan, its stinging me I'm not so keen on, so I see your point.

OP posts:
Presil · 21/09/2023 19:03

You can get pest control and have them sprayed, doesn't cost very much or take very long. Advice is not to do it yourself if you don't know what you're doing but if dh kept bees before maybe he feels confident enough.

EasterMummie · 21/09/2023 19:04

Do B&Q sell stuff I wonder?

JLM1981 · 21/09/2023 19:05

We had this last week our home emergency cover sent a guy out to spray it. Worked within 24 hours.

itscurtainsnow · 21/09/2023 19:06

It doesn’t cost much to get someone in and definitely worth it IMO to save the stings! It’s less than £100 here for it to be dealt with. We’ve just had one done as it was right outside our bedroom window and we couldn’t have it open which wasn’t enjoyable in the recent heatwave

megletthesecond · 21/09/2023 19:07

I had one by my front door last year and it cost £75 for pest control to destroy it. I'm usually live and let live when it comes to bugs but that one was pushing it.

JLM1981 · 21/09/2023 19:08

This happened to my husband too. Went weeks without the wasps minding us then he went out to garden not near the nest to hang out washing as normal and was stung 3 times. Ouch.

itscurtainsnow · 21/09/2023 19:11

I think I’ve read they get more aggressive towards the end of summer, because their food sources are drying up?

SquirrelSoShiny · 21/09/2023 19:22

The secret is to get the nests when they are tiny- think tennis ball to football sized. At that point you can annihilate them just with a can of Raid.

Presil · 21/09/2023 19:23

Yeah and they're pissed on rotten fermented fruit. Drunk, hangry and spoiling for a fight, like a stag do in a small town on a Saturday night.

Moonshine5 · 21/09/2023 19:28

My cousin's had a wasp nest in their front hedge. It was there at least 3 (summers) years that I remember.

Original poster
colourwheelofortune · 21/09/2023 19:29

Presil · 21/09/2023 19:03

You can get pest control and have them sprayed, doesn't cost very much or take very long. Advice is not to do it yourself if you don't know what you're doing but if dh kept bees before maybe he feels confident enough.

He says no bloody way. His beekeeper suits are sold. I already asked as I could have worn them down to do my gardening jobs

OP posts:
scrivette · 21/09/2023 19:34

The wasps are angry and drunk and will soon die off. I would have pest control remove them. We had one removed earlier in the year as we couldn't get out of the house and it cost £60.

Original poster
colourwheelofortune · 21/09/2023 19:35

JLM1981 · 21/09/2023 19:08

This happened to my husband too. Went weeks without the wasps minding us then he went out to garden not near the nest to hang out washing as normal and was stung 3 times. Ouch.

DH says this time of year they run out of natural sugar so feed on rotting fruit/apples etc, which ferments and makes alcohol. basically pissed as a fart and looking for a fight.

OP posts:
LBOCS2 · 21/09/2023 19:37

I generally agree about the comments that they'll die off soon, and it is true, but if we have a mild autumn it could be as late as late November - which is a long time to spend putting up with the stingy bastards.

Get pest control in. They (rightly) won't kill bees but are usually happy to deal with wasp nests.

Swipe left for the next trending thread