Mitchells Plain is one of the biggest suburbs in Cape Town, stretching from the Town Centre down to the False Bay coast at Strandfontein.
Wasp nests in Mitchells Plain
Paper wasps nest under eaves, in Wendy houses, behind loose roof sheeting and inside meter boxes in Mitchells Plain, usually on the side sheltered from the South-Easter. Nests grow fast in the summer heat, and children playing in the yard are most at risk of stings. Schools, crèches and mosques with roof overhangs see them too.
We treat and remove nests and check the house, the Wendy house and the yard for others. Calling early in spring, while nests are small, is quicker and safer. If someone at home is allergic to stings, tell us when you call.
Homes are mostly semi-detached and row houses built in the 1970s and 80s, many extended with extra rooms or Wendy houses in the backyard.
From the technician
Spraying a nest in the middle of a hot afternoon is the classic mistake. Half the wasps are out foraging, they come back angry, and the nest is often rebuilt nearby.
Tell-tale signs
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.
What happens when we come out
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.
Prevention that actually works
- Seal holes in hollow gate posts, steel poles and roller door channels with a cap or sealant.
- Check garden furniture, umbrellas and the inside of letterboxes before using them in summer.
- Pick up fallen fruit and grapes promptly, because ripe fruit draws foraging wasps in late summer.
- Keep outdoor bins closed and clean up after a braai, as wasps scavenge meat and sweet drinks.
- 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.
How much will it cost?
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 Mitchells Plain
Is the European paper wasp really invasive?
Yes. Polistes dominula is not native to South Africa and has spread widely through the Western Cape, where it competes with local insects. That is why we treat it rather than leave it.
Do wasp traps work?
They catch some foraging wasps, but they rarely reduce the number of nests and can attract more wasps to your garden. Finding and treating the nests works much better.
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.
Should I remove a wasp nest myself?
Only a tiny one at dusk. Bigger nests are risky, especially near children.
Are the midges in Mitchells Plain coming from the Strandfontein ponds?
Many of them are. The wastewater ponds and nearby vleis are big breeding areas, so homes closest to the coast notice them most on warm evenings.
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