Wasp season is approaching! So what should you be looking out for?
Wasps don’t tend to build their nests in the same way that bees build their hives. Wasps boast a certain jaw design that assists them with the building of their nests, but they also require other materials to help them create a safe and sheltered home.
The process all begins with the queen wasp. They are the ones that tend to fly off and find a respectable spot for their nest. Wasps prefer overhangs, trees and outdoor decking areas. They specifically look for areas that they can use corners in order to attach the nest to a stable structure.
Wasps are similar to people in the respect that they want to avoid bad weather, such as rain and hail, so they much prefer their nests to be near anything that overhangs or provides shelter. With an intimate threat from potential predators, wasps nearly always build their nests high up, usually in the trees or on roof areas.
It’s not only a suitable and sheltered location that the queen wasp looks for, they also seek warmth. This explains why wasps can enter homes and begin building nests in wall cavities, attics and even backyard sheds!
The queen wasp, who is so vital in this process, will use her powerful jaws to scrape wood, and other materials such as cardboard to produce a string like material, before returning it to her nest spot. Then, she will begin constructing her nest with these raw materials and build a basic structure.
After laying eggs, she is producing more workers who also assist her in this, what seems complex, process of building the nest. There will eventually become a team of wasps scraping wood, forming them into a pulp-like material, and building the nest bigger and bigger.
It’s important to note that different types of wasps will create different types of nests. A quick summary indicates that Paper wasps prefer to create open, cone-shaped nests usually on roof top areas.
Whereas, the more common hornets tend to go for larger, more rounded nests with a very small opening. These types of nests are usually spotted in trees or in areas inside a home.
Where to find wasp nests in your home?
Wasps much prefer to build their nests in a sheltered place, usually high off the ground and as mentioned, away from potential predators.
You will usually find wasp nests inside the home:
• Underneath windows
• Inside wall cavities
• In the attic
Wasps also like to utilise areas around the house which gives them easy access to inside a home, through windows and open doors.
Areas such as:
• Logs
• Around unused equipment in the garden
• Trees in your garden
• Any piles of wood lying around near your home
The most common herd of wasps build their nests near second-floor windows and under the bridge by your rooftop, so whilst looking in trees to hunt down where your wasp nest is, it’s also worth checking out other off-the-ground places too.