Wasp nest in pub the size of a double mattress

When pest controller Sean Whelan was called to a break out of wasps at a Southampton pub it didn’t take long to find the source of the problem. In a corner of the watering hole’s loft he found the biggest wasp nest he had ever seen.

In fact the nest was so large it was the size of a double bed mattress and was home to up to half a million killer wasps. Built around a chimney stack the six foot by five foot nest was 15 times bigger than a typical one and is thought to be one of the biggest in the UK.



“The wasps were buzzing all over the place. There was enough to kill someone if they weren’t wearing the right clothing,” said Sean.

“It was without doubt the biggest nest I have ever seen. It was an amazing sight – I couldn’t believe my eyes.” Using a telescopic pole, Mr Whelan cracked open the top of the nest and squirted the megacolony with a powerful insecticide.