In the height of summer a wasp nest can contain in excess of 20,000 active wasps. Each wasp will aggressively defend the nest and can deliver multiple stings. When a wasp stings it releases a pheromone which encourages other wasps to attack the same target making dealing with a wasp nest especially hazardous and particularly dangerous when treating in a confined or restricted space. It is important to use the right safety equipment and applying an effective treatment to kill the nest.
We have taken two videos of recent treatments of nests made by the two most common types of UK social wasps. The first is to a wasp nest of German or European Wasps which often nest outdoors or underground. The nest is within a log in a hedge line near to outbuildings and the wasps were patrolling a wide area making access difficult. The second nest of Common Wasps were extremely active, gaining access to a house under roof tiles above a guttering. Common wasps are slightly smaller than the European wasp and prefer to nest indoors within sheds, roof spaces or wall cavities, often making these nests more difficult to treat. We use Ficam-D Bendiocarb Insecticide powder to treat the access to each nest which is blown under pressure deep into the nest using a dusting applicator with long reach nozzle. Full safety equipment is worn to allow close access to both nests without getting seriously stung.