Camps Bay has the beach, the palms and the Twelve Apostles towering behind it, and plenty of homes that are let out to visitors for part of the year.
Wasp nests in Camps Bay
Wasps nest under deck boards, in pergolas and in the eaves of houses near the Glen and along the upper slopes of Camps Bay. Afternoons can be still and hot when the wind drops, and those are the days wasps are most active around pools and outdoor dining areas.
We treat and remove nests and check decks and pergolas for others nearby. Glass balustrades and outdoor kitchens on terraces give them more sheltered corners than older houses. Look under outdoor counters, inside braai covers and in the gaps of pool pump housings, where nests often go unnoticed until someone is stung.
Houses step up the slope in terraces, with basements, garages and pool rooms cut into the hillside. Guest houses and villas with frequent changeovers need fast, discreet treatments, and the restaurant strip along the beachfront has its own commercial kitchens and refuse areas to manage.
Worth knowing
Wasps are attracted to water as much as food. A dripping tap or a pool edge can keep them coming back to a garden all summer.
What gives them away
Tick every sign you have noticed. It takes ten seconds.
Why it matters: Paper wasps sting when their nest is disturbed, and they can sting more than once, which is a real danger for anyone with a sting allergy and a misery for children playing outside. Nests in letterboxes, gate motors and garden furniture lead to stings because people touch them without seeing the nest. On farms and in the Winelands, Polistes damages soft fruit and grapes and gets in the way of harvest work. Because the species is invasive, every nest left alone produces new queens that start more nests nearby the following spring.
Our process, step by step
For ongoing wasp control we combine nest treatment with prevention rather than coming out once a year to remove whatever has grown. Active nests are treated with an insecticidal dust or spray applied directly into the comb, usually early in the morning or late in the day when the wasps are on the nest, and the comb is taken down once the colony is dead. On properties with repeat problems we do a sweep in early spring to find and remove young founding nests while they are small, and we can apply a residual treatment to favourite nesting spots such as eaves and pergolas. We also look at what is drawing wasps in, like water points, fallen fruit and open bins, and give practical advice on fixing it. For farms, estates and complexes, scheduled visits through the wasp season keep numbers under control instead of letting them build up.
Want the full step-by-step? See how our wasp control service works.
Keeping them out afterwards
- Check garden furniture, umbrellas and the inside of letterboxes before using them in summer.
- Fix dripping taps and irrigation leaks, since wasps need a steady water source to build nests.
- Seal holes in hollow gate posts, steel poles and roller door channels with a cap or sealant.
- Pick up fallen fruit and grapes promptly, because ripe fruit draws foraging wasps in late summer.
- Walk around the house once a week from September and knock down any nest smaller than a coin with a long pole, at dusk, wearing long sleeves.
What affects the price
Wasp control is priced on how many nests there are, how high and hard to reach they are, and whether you want a once-off treatment or ongoing visits through the season. A house with one or two nests at ladder height is a straightforward job, while farms, estates and complexes with nests spread over many buildings take longer. For properties that get wasps every year, a seasonal plan usually saves money compared to repeated call-outs, and the quote is free.
Queens come out of hiding as the weather warms in late August and September and start small nests on their own, which is the cheapest and safest time to deal with them. Colonies grow quickly through the hot, dry summer and reach their biggest and most defensive in February and March. With the first winter rains and cold fronts the colonies die off, and only the new queens survive to start again next spring.
Wasp Control questions from Camps Bay
Why do wasps keep coming back to my house every year?
Paper wasps like the same sheltered spots, and new queens often start nests close to where they were born. Removing nests early in spring and making those spots less attractive breaks the cycle.
Can you look after a whole estate or farm?
Yes. We do scheduled wasp checks for estates, complexes and farms through the season, with a report after each visit.
There's a wasp nest by my Camps Bay pool. Can you remove it quickly?
Yes. Tell us it's near a pool or a door and we'll prioritise the visit.
Can you treat a Camps Bay holiday villa between guest bookings?
Yes, we can plan the visit for a changeover day and use odourless products where possible. Ask about after-hours or weekend visits if your turnaround is tight.
How quickly can you remove a wasp nest?
Our average turnaround is around 48 hours, depending on the season. If a nest is right by a door or someone is allergic, tell us, and we can arrange an after-hours or weekend visit on request.
Is it safe to spray a nest myself?
It is risky with a large nest, because a can of spray rarely kills the whole colony and the survivors get very defensive. Small nests at dusk are another story.
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