If you can get it out in one piece it’s a marvellous thing to show children … for a school nature table perhaps … slice it in half with a bread knife and see the amazing structure … a wonderful example of Nature’s engineering … and remember that it was by watching wasps that the Chinese first learned how to make paper 📝
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
We get them every year in our sheep shed and chicken house, we leave them alone and have never been bothered by them. I like to watch them working away at the garden furniture and exposed beams, so much hard work goes into those beautiful nests.
I'm fairly sure that wasps die in the winter due to starvation and not the cold but in any case I wouldn't worry at all about that nest now. If it was earlier in the year and active then it may cause problems but the fact you hadn't noticed until you saw it, shows how benign wasps are if left alone (plus they are very valuable in nature and do great work). We have quite a few small (golf ball ish) nests in our loft where the Queens have overwintered and they do the same in our shed most years. If you simply leave them alone they don't cause any problems at all.
I would be inclined to remove it. If you then see another nest next spring or summer, you’ll know that one is new and in use, and will need to be treated with respect.
They don't reuse old nests as far as I'm aware, so you could leave it if it's in a difficult position and then you only need to worry if a new one pops up.
They are fascinating to look at so it's worth removing to investigate it further if in an easy position.
Thank you so very much for all your knowledge. It has been most reassuring and educating.. I have had more helpful replies from this great site than the pest control people. Maybe like a lot of people just doing their job but don’t know much about nature itself!.. a thousand thank you’s to everyone that replied with five star advice! 👍😃🙏😃
In addition to other people saying, don’t worry…. Firstly my loft had several wasps nests in it and I was never bothered by them.
Also, wasps are very important to the ecosystem - have a look at this if you have a moment (sorry it’s aimed at kids - I realise you’re not one!!) https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/av/52998427
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Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
They are fascinating to look at so it's worth removing to investigate it further if in an easy position.