What Does A Wasp Nest Look Like & How Do You Spot Them?

A wasp nest is made from wood pulp, laid down in delicate layers by wasps to make a round-shaped nest. It is fixed at one end to the place it has been built in or on. At the opposite end is a hole which is the only entry point to the nest.

Generally wasp nests are predominantly a grey/white colour, but sometimes streaks of colours such as blue, green and brown are seen; this happens when wasps have made the wood pulp from stained wood, like garden fences and sheds.

Wasps build nests anywhere: inside bushes, hedges, trees, bird-boxes, eaves, attics, chimneys, vents, sheds and garages; under slates and BBQ covers; in the ground; on the outside of buildings.

It isn’t always possible to see the actual nest though if it is hidden under roof slates or in the eaves for example. In these cases, all you will see is wasps going into and out of the nest; you will see this best as the number of wasps in the nest increases over the summer and especially on sunny days as the sun’s warmth increases the activity rate of the wasps.

Never go near a wasp nest because wasps are very aggressive and will attack you to defend their nest; each wasp can sting several times too, which makes a wasp attack even worse. People and pets can get hurt badly; some people have died after being attacked by wasps. Don’t take any risks – always get a professional to eradicate a wasp nest for you.