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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask how you dealt with a wasp nest?

63 replies

elm26 · 23/08/2023 09:04

I've been noticing lots of wasps in our kitchen the past 2 weeks but just thought it was the season for them and got on with it.

This morning, DH left for work at 4:30am and I got up to a big note across the bedroom door saying "put your flip flops on, killed at least 20 wasps in the kitchen, too early to put hoover on" with my flip flops chucked next to the bed for me.

They are everywhere, kitchen sides, floor etc. I've looked outside my kitchen window and there must be at least 100 buzzing around the same part of the roof (we are first floor flat but nobody above us).

We rent, I've contacted landlord but is it his job to sort? I'm not scared of them but don't particularly want a nest right outside my kitchen window and I have a 13 week old DD I don't want to be stung.

OP posts:
instantpotnoodle · 23/08/2023 09:05

Yes your landlord should sort. V quick job for a pest controller.

cansu · 23/08/2023 09:09

I doubt your landlord will sort this! You will need to get a pest control out to deal. Start looking for one. We have had a few nests and they charge about 40 to 50 quid around here.

Dotjones · 23/08/2023 09:10

If you can see the nest, boil up a big pan of water. Bash the nest off with a broom and pour the boiling water onto it. Ideally then cover it in sand or dirt.

The problem you may find is the survivors regroup and build another nest in the same place so you might have to do it again in a few days. But keep killing them and eventually they'll give up.

SamanthaVimes · 23/08/2023 09:11

When we had a wasps nest the council came out to remove it (not a council property)

Mymews · 23/08/2023 09:11

They will naturally die off in the next few months and will not return to their nest as they do not use the same one year on year. I would just leave them to do their thing as I cannot deliberately harm any living being.

We had a wasp nest in an old bird house in our garden. I just steered clear of it and they eventually died off themselves and the queen moved on.

Do not attempt to tackle the nest yourself whatever you do as that is when you are most likely to be stung.

Scarlettpixie · 23/08/2023 09:12

Yes your LL should sort it. We had one years ago while renting and they arranged for pest control.

We had one here the other day. I rang the council who said it would be a couple of weeks. The rang a private firm. The guy was there in 20 mins. Next day, no more wasps. It was £80. Council charge £60 round here.

enchantedsquirrelwood · 23/08/2023 09:14

OP they are past their useful life now - you don't need to feel guilty about killing them, they are going to die anyway but in the here and now you don't want them in those numbers!

Call a pest control company - they will get rid of them for you. I think this is for you, rather than the landlord.

KnickerlessParsons · 23/08/2023 09:15

If you can see the nest, boil up a big pan of water. Bash the nest off with a broom and pour the boiling water onto it. Ideally then cover it in sand or dirt.

Are you mad?! 😮🤔

WhateverMate · 23/08/2023 09:15

Mymews · 23/08/2023 09:11

They will naturally die off in the next few months and will not return to their nest as they do not use the same one year on year. I would just leave them to do their thing as I cannot deliberately harm any living being.

We had a wasp nest in an old bird house in our garden. I just steered clear of it and they eventually died off themselves and the queen moved on.

Do not attempt to tackle the nest yourself whatever you do as that is when you are most likely to be stung.

You'd just leave that many wasps with a 13 week old baby in the house?

Poor OP would have to keep all her windows and doors shut for the rest of Summer.

Scarlettpixie · 23/08/2023 09:15

Just to add, I don’t like the idea if harming them either and when we had one in the apex of the roof I left them to it. Once there is a risk of them coming in though they can fuck off. Our recent one was over the bay window in the lounge and we could here them crackling while we watched TV!

VegetablesFightingToReclaimTheAubergieneEmoji · 23/08/2023 09:16

My tenancy says pests are our issue.

weve two wasps nests at the moment, one is outside our kitchen window. But the difference is they aren’t causing us any bother (other than the poo on the windows!). How are they getting in your house? You might find that easier to block.

as they are clearly causing you an issue, the council should come and deal with it. Have a look on their website

GasPanic · 23/08/2023 09:17

I think now I would wait until winter when they have died/slowed down and then attack the nest.

The best time to kill is when they are small, or when they have mostly died.

Also, keep a lookout for the queens.

In spring often you will see the queens very large moving around. They are quite slow compared to normal wasps. You should always make sure you kill these because they are looking to crawl into a safe space to make the nest.

VegetablesFightingToReclaimTheAubergieneEmoji · 23/08/2023 09:20

WhateverMate · 23/08/2023 09:15

You'd just leave that many wasps with a 13 week old baby in the house?

Poor OP would have to keep all her windows and doors shut for the rest of Summer.

Show quote history

I have my windows open directly underneath a nest - they are in the mortar gap between the house and window.
they don’t come in, they fly directly out over the window, honey bees do the same out of a hive. It sounds like they are finding another way in not windows to me. E.g back opening of the nest

FiveShelties · 23/08/2023 09:21

Dotjones · 23/08/2023 09:10

If you can see the nest, boil up a big pan of water. Bash the nest off with a broom and pour the boiling water onto it. Ideally then cover it in sand or dirt.

The problem you may find is the survivors regroup and build another nest in the same place so you might have to do it again in a few days. But keep killing them and eventually they'll give up.

Don't try this at home.😂

StaySpicy · 23/08/2023 09:21

We got to the nest in our garden before it got too big. I used an old drawstring bag and pulled the drawstring where the small nest connected to the roof of our garden office so the nest fell into the bag. Then disposed of it.

But that doesn't help you if you're on the first floor. You'll need to call a pest control person. The alternative is to duct tape some netting across the window so you still get the breeze but the wasps can't get in. I think with your young baby, though, you'd be justified in getting rid of it.

Original poster
elm26 · 23/08/2023 09:27

Thanks everyone, I'm not dealing with them myself, although I'm not scared of them I don't particularly want to be stung as I have a history of anaphylaxis (not bee or wasp related), but I'm more worried about my daughter (or our dog) being stung.

I couldn't deal with them myself anyway as they're in the roof.

I will wait to hear from landlord, he's usually pretty quick at replying. If he says it's for me to sort, I'll call a pest control company ASAP.

OP posts:
Polik · 23/08/2023 09:29

We solved ours using a pressure washer. Blast with high pressure water. Leave for a few hours, blast again and bash apart with a boom.

WhateverMate · 23/08/2023 09:30

Polik · 23/08/2023 09:29

We solved ours using a pressure washer. Blast with high pressure water. Leave for a few hours, blast again and bash apart with a boom.

I know it's a typo but 'Bash apart with a boom' really tickled me 🤣🤣

Flaribeau · 23/08/2023 09:34

They will go away at the end of the summer. Honestly the easiest thing to do is just leave them for a few weeks and they’ll disappear of their own accord.

hickone · 23/08/2023 09:36

We had a nest recently, tried some other sprays first but b&q do a powder that kills them. Cost just over £5.

Teapleasebobb · 23/08/2023 09:37

We had a wasps nest earlier on this year. Went on to our local council website and they have a list of companies they recommend, so I emailed one of them and they came out the next day, it cost us £70, they sprayed the nest and the wasps were gone within the hour. The nest was above our bedroom window, I left it for a while thinking they aren't harming anyone and they'll go away soon enough, however, they then started to appear in the bedroom, 5 or 6 at a time so I had to get someone in to get rid of them.

TonTonMacoute · 23/08/2023 09:39

Wasps don't return to old nests so if you do get pest controllers in make sure they leave at least some of the nest in situ. This will make sure they don't come back.

HelpMeGetThrough · 23/08/2023 09:52

Dotjones · 23/08/2023 09:10

If you can see the nest, boil up a big pan of water. Bash the nest off with a broom and pour the boiling water onto it. Ideally then cover it in sand or dirt.

The problem you may find is the survivors regroup and build another nest in the same place so you might have to do it again in a few days. But keep killing them and eventually they'll give up.

And for my next trick......

OctogenarianDecathlete · 23/08/2023 09:59

I saw a thing on Instagram (sceptical goggles on) suggesting that if you know where the nest is, put a brown paper bag somewhere nearby. Allegedly the wasps think it's a rival nest and they'll leave their nest to find somewhere else away from the competition.

If nothing else, you could try tucking a brown paper bag up in your kitchen light or similar to see if it discourages them? (Obviously be careful if you have hot halogen lights - don't accidentally burn your house down)

HelpMeGetThrough · 23/08/2023 10:02

don't accidentally burn your house down)

Would get rid of the nest though.