Identification guide
Six species account for nearly every nest we treat. You don't need to identify yours — that's our job — but this guide shows what you're most likely dealing with.
Message us on WhatsApp for the fastest response. A photo is useful but not required — we have treated every nest type and location countless times.
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Vespula vulgaris
The wasp behind most UK nests. Bright yellow and black, with anchor-shaped face markings. Nests in lofts, wall cavities, underground and in sheds — colonies can reach several thousand wasps by late summer.
Typical nests: Lofts, wall cavities, ground banks, sheds
Vespula germanica
Almost identical to the common wasp but with three small black dots on the face. Just as defensive of its nest and treated the same way. Very common across Oxfordshire.
Typical nests: Wall cavities, roof spaces, underground
Vespa crabro
Much larger than a wasp, with chestnut-brown and yellow colouring. Nests in trees, outbuildings and cavities. Less aggressive than its reputation suggests, but nests should never be approached.
Typical nests: Trees, outbuildings, wall cavities, chimneys
Dolichovespula sylvestris
Builds distinctive grey, rounded nests hanging in trees, shrubs and sometimes roof spaces. Quick to defend the nest — one to treat promptly if it's near a garden path or play area.
Typical nests: Trees, shrubs, roof spaces
Dolichovespula media
A darker wasp that arrived in Britain in the 1980s and is now well established in Oxfordshire. Builds aerial nests in bushes, hedges and under eaves.
Typical nests: Hedges, bushes, under eaves
Dolichovespula norwegica
Common in rural and wooded parts of the county. Nests low in vegetation, in banks and occasionally in roof spaces. Reddish markings on the abdomen distinguish it from the common wasp.
Typical nests: Low vegetation, banks, roof spaces
Bees are vital pollinators and we don't treat them. Honey bees and bumblebees look and behave quite differently from wasps — fuzzy, rounder bodies and a calmer flight. If it turns out you have bees, we'll tell you on the phone or on arrival and point you toward a local beekeeper who can relocate them. No call-out charge if we don't treat.
Message us on WhatsApp for the fastest response — send a photo if you want, but we can quote from your description and book a same-day slot.
Call 01865 477311