A woman examining a rarely-used spare room in her mother’s Winchester, Hampshire, house was confronted with an unexpected discovery: a giant wasps’ nest, with an estimated 5,000 wasps, had taken over a single bed. The nest, which was 3 feet wide and 1.5 feet deep, had grown through the mattress and pillows as the hardworking insects continued their work.
The disturbing discovery was made when the woman’s son opened the door to the neglected room and saw the nest thriving in the absence of human presence. It was determined that a window had been left open for several months, allowing the wasps to construct their elaborate home.
Longwood Services pest controller John Birkett arrived at the scene after getting a plea for help, stunned at the size of the nest. He donned protective gear and set about eradicating the wasps, showing that the nest was home to up to 700 queen wasps. Birkett’s 45 years of expertise had not prepared him for this unprecedented infestation.
Despite the size of the nest and the meticulous craftsmanship of the wasps, Birkett successfully cleansed the area using a specialist spray, even salvaging the occupant’s treasured blanket. Unaware of the infestation, the woman took the tough decision to dismantle the nest.
Birkett observed a mixture of wonder and grief at the loss of the hardworking wasps, recognizing the incredible success of their building. The woman, on the other hand, pushed for removal, highlighting the difficult balance between admiration for nature’s beauty and the necessity for practical remedies in the face of unanticipated obstacles.