We both froze when the first piece of plaster fell way.
A huge, pulsating nest, stacked and honeycombed, about four feet tall, was crammed into the hollow area between studs under the insulation. It was roiling with activity. With their wings vibrating in a deep, ominous buzz that seemed to fill the entire space, thousands of wasps clung to the building.
My husband nearly dropped the axe as he staggered back.
On the opposite side of that wall, we had been asleep. for weeks. Months, perhaps.
The realization made my stomach drop. They could have easily broken through the drywall and flooded our house with an enraged swarm if that nest had gotten much bigger. The entire colony could have been inside the bedroom where our guests slept, where we kept linens, and where our niece took weekend naps with just one nasty vibration, one hot day, or one structural change.
My skin crawled at the sight.
We immediately closed the entrance, sealed the space, and contacted pest control. Arriving in full suits, the crew’s voices were muffled by protective gear. The size of the nest, one of the biggest they had ever seen inside a house, even caused them to stop.
The workers then provided us with information that made the whole thing even more unsettling after the buzzing subsided and the last pieces of the nest were taken out. Wasps frequently establish their nests in warm, untouched places like crawl spaces, attics, or inside walls. In a single season, a single queen can create a nest that expands to thousands of insects at an alarming rate.
Thousands. residing directly next to our bedroom.
Even though a wasp swarm could send someone to the hospital, the threat went beyond the stings. Anaphylaxis and other serious allergic reactions can be brought on by their venom. Anyone with an undiscovered sensitivity, including children and elderly family members, could be fatally endangered.
