Wasp nests are intimidating, and most people prefer to leave them alone.
Some people choose to remove them via DIY methods. However, the success and safety of such strategies depends on many things. Whether you decide to remove one yourself or rely upon an expert, the question is, is removing the nest the right choice?
The answer depends on many things, such as the location. For example, if situated in an attic, there could be little room for you to manoeuvre out of the way, and wasps may not have enough space to escape, causing them to turn aggressive.
Each year there are many fatal incidents involving wasp stings. For example, someone cutting a hedge with a powered hedge cutter could accidentally disturb a wasp’s nest – from both the sounds and vibration. The noise of the cutter would disguise the buzzing sound of wasps; therefore, someone could get stung hundreds of times.
Another factor in whether you should remove a nest is the time of year.
In spring, wasps are fewer in number and their nest is relatively small compared to summer months. However by summertime, hundreds of thousands of wasps can exist in one nest. Therefore it’s precarious to remove one yourself during summertime and dangerous for experts.
Why do accidents happen?
Humans have constructed many buildings with lofts, cavity walls and other nesting sites. Wasps have found it convenient to nest in such places. But unfortunately, their presence is inevitably going to cause problems.
Should I allow a wasps nest if they’re not causing harm?
Yes, it’s ok to leave a wasps nest alone. Wasps are very important to the ecosystem.
From May to August, wasps prefer to feed on flies and caterpillars to help grow their colony. As a result, either a new Queen or worker bees will emerge from the nest. Disturbing this process causes an imbalance in nature.
A wasp nest should be removed correctly by a professional pest controller so you don’t have to endanger yourself or others.