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nests in my loft - what animal is it?
MikeR - 31/8/07 at 02:26 PM

Folks,

Adding insulation to my attic and found two nests and some droppings.

Trying to figure out what i've got and how much my council tax will rise for having more than one person living in my house.

Pretty sure one nest is a queen bee / queen wasps over winter nest.

Its the other nest / droppings that are 'worrying' me.

Also curious how to dispose of them
a) legally
b) safely (to me)
c) humanly (to them)

Pics (also in my archive under 'nest' if this goes wrong).





[Edited on 31/8/07 by MikeR]


Chris_G - 31/8/07 at 02:35 PM

Wasps!!!!

See here - about half way down:
http://www.kendall-bioresearch.co.uk/general3.htm


Chris_G - 31/8/07 at 02:39 PM

http://www.heritage-homeandgarden.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=6356&osCsid=759770f4744991a321bfd446d4dd23b9


RazMan - 31/8/07 at 02:40 PM

Definitely a wasp nest

Your local pest control guy will despatch it quite easily - I wouldn't recommend a Locost approach with a broom & bin bag


locoboy - 31/8/07 at 02:40 PM

Droppings look VERY much like rats to me.


gingerprince - 31/8/07 at 02:42 PM

can of hairspray and a lighter

(not really!)


Mr Rob - 31/8/07 at 02:46 PM

Smash the nest up with your hands and see what comes out..


BenB - 31/8/07 at 02:55 PM

Definately wasp nests. Droppings look rather flat to me!!! Rat droppings tend to be round....


MikeR - 31/8/07 at 03:05 PM

Ok, i've not noticed a wasp problem and it says they can be left once treated. Also wasps don't re-use nests .........

how do you know if the nest is still active?

(ie i want to get rid of it)


David Jenkins - 31/8/07 at 03:12 PM

Wasps - we had them in the loft last year.

We contacted the local council pest controllers, who these days are just a help-desk who point you towards a pest control company. They charge a 'special rate', i.e. less than if you rang them directly.

Bloke came along, sprayed some stuff over them, and they were dead within a day or so. Spent ages sweeping dead wasps up off the loft floor...

But he said that they only use a nest for one year, then move off somewhere else, so maybe they're old ones. We had loads of wasps flying round the loft before he came, so ours was definitely active!

I hate wasps... don't mind bees 'cos they generally leave you alone, don't mind hornets (which are common where I live) 'cos all they want to do is eat wasps, but I REALLY hate wasps 'cos they're spiteful!


zxrlocost - 31/8/07 at 03:32 PM

I was driving my car with the window down the once
wasp flew through down the back of my T-Shirt and got jammed between me and seat
it obviously panicked and started non stop stinging

I can safely say it was the most painful experience ever

when I got out the car it fell through onto the seat it was massive

It also met my steering lock within a millisecond


MikeR - 31/8/07 at 03:35 PM

so what about the droppings?


gezer - 31/8/07 at 03:38 PM

definitly wasps, they have the entrance behind the rafter probably through a small hole near the top of the brickwork,

also there are dead wasps on the ceiling in the second photo,

hornets are allso a species of wasp,


fuzzy!! - 31/8/07 at 03:43 PM

giant rat wasps my guess on the droppings
crack one of the droppings open - might give a clue as to what they're eating


Hellfire - 31/8/07 at 03:49 PM

quote:
Originally posted by David Jenkins
I hate wasps... don't mind bees 'cos they generally leave you alone, don't mind hornets (which are common where I live) 'cos all they want to do is eat wasps, but I REALLY hate wasps 'cos they're spiteful!


nasty b******rds I call em!!!

Steve


graememk - 31/8/07 at 04:11 PM

wasps nest
rat / maybe mouse dropping hard to tell.

poison needed


welderman - 31/8/07 at 04:46 PM

went to a christening on sunday, bloke drinking his pint wasp flew in he drank, .
ouch it stung his bottom lip.


designer - 31/8/07 at 04:59 PM

If it's wasps contact the local fishing club. Wasp grub is excellent for fishing and, in Leeds, they will come and take it away for free.


joneh - 31/8/07 at 05:39 PM

Def rat droppings - wrong shape for mice. I can take a photo of my pet rats poop if you need to be convinced!


dave1888 - 31/8/07 at 05:56 PM

I think that them droppings might be wasp grub cocoon thing? then again i might be talking sh17e


Macbeast - 31/8/07 at 07:52 PM

You can buy an aerosol of wasp nest destroyer in eg Homebase. You stand about 6-8 feet away and spray - nest dissolves in seconds, no wasps come out.

But the other animal seems to be crapping 5p pieces - I should encourage that one


owelly - 31/8/07 at 09:06 PM

I was about to suggest looking for a rat with a hole in its pocket but the 'crapping coins' theory is a good one.......
It's unusual that you havn't heard the rats in the loft. I have had a mouse family in my loft and I could hear the little scratching devils all fekin night!! I left out some calomine lotion and the scratching stopped.


Thinking about it - 31/8/07 at 11:29 PM

Wasps nest I reckon. We had one in our loft, never even noticed it till they had been and gone.

Mouse turd I reckon bit small for a rat unless it is an old 5p.

Send the cat up the loft to sort em out.