This past weekend, we had the pleasure of engaging with hundreds of visitors at our stand at the South of England Show — and what a fantastic three days it was! Set in the heart of the countryside, the event offered the perfect setting for us to talk all things wasps and hornets, while showcasing the journey of the Kerminator from concept to commercialisation.
One of the highlights of our stand was the display of real wasp and hornet nests — mature, deceased, and impressively large. The intricate construction and sheer scale of the nests fascinated (and occasionally horrified!) many. Particularly striking was a wasp nest that began in a small cardboard box in an attic which, with help from its tireless worker wasps, had quickly expanded to occupy a large recess between a boiler and the airbricks. Electrical cabling was found running through the body of the nest, a vivid demonstration of just how invasive and destructive these nests can become during the peak summer months.
Conversations with visitors revealed that most were private homeowners who struggle with recurring wasp problems every year. Many shared their frustrations over the ongoing cost of calling out professional pest controllers, and their often unsuccessful attempts to treat their own nests using squeezy bottles of powder, not to mention the mess they make due to the lack of targeting. ‘I’m sick of my house looking like someone has thrown flour bombs at it’ one lady told us! To demonstrate the Kerminator’s effectiveness, we fired cartridges of talc into a transparent Perspex model nest, so visitors could see exactly how the lance worked and witness the speed of powder delivery. The visual impact and simplicity of our device certainly made an impression, with most commenting on the quality of the lance components given it is aimed at the DIY market – as if there is an expectation that robust, professional standard tools are reserved only for the experts.
In an increasingly digital world where buyer and seller interact primarily through online channels, you can feel quite disconnected from your customers at times. This show gave us the opportunity to meet home and business owners in the flesh and have real time conversations about their issues with wasp nests and our solution. We also enjoyed meeting some ‘Kerminator converts’ who had already added our lance to their tool collection and just wanted to meet (and thank) the creator. We dispelled myths, listened to some terrifying (albeit creative) ways some people had attempted to treat their own nests, and we particularly enjoyed watching the surprised reactions at how light the Kerminator is when visitors held it for the first time.
Thank you to everyone who stopped by — your enthusiasm, questions, and stories made the weekend a real success. We’re already looking forward to next year!
All the trade stalls – can you find the Kerminator?
Kerminator Stand
Kerminator stand at the South of England show featuring preserved hornet nest