Plumstead Wasp Control

Plumstead is a settled, leafy suburb with long-standing families, a lot of oak and jacaranda shade and older homes that have been added onto over the years. That patchwork of old and new building is what keeps us busy here.

Wasp nests in Plumstead

Wasps nest in the eaves and garden sheds of Plumstead homes through summer, sheltered by the big oaks and jacarandas. Outside rooms and converted garages give them more sheltered corners.

We treat and remove nests and check other eaves and sheds while we're there. Early spring is the easiest time. Nests in sheds are often found when someone opens the door after winter, so check before you reach inside. If someone in the house is allergic to stings, send a photo on WhatsApp and tell us when you book.

You'll find solid brick semis, 1940s and 1950s bungalows with suspended wooden floors, and blocks of flats closer to Main Road. Many houses have extensions, outside rooms and converted garages, and the joins between old and new are classic entry points.

Tell-tale signs

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.

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.

Stopping a repeat visit

• Check garden furniture, umbrellas and the inside of letterboxes before using them in summer.
• 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.
• Keep outdoor bins closed and clean up after a braai, as wasps scavenge meat and sweet drinks.

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.

Frequently asked questions

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