Wasps. A gentle pollinator’s evil twin. They sting without discretion, and build unsightly nests wherever is inconvenient for us. Once they’ve built their nest, they will terrorize you and your family with the slightest provocation.
Do wasps even have any redeeming qualities? Not really, they are venomous so their stings cause inflammation and irritation to the skin. They are also known to attack in swarms when they feel their nest is threatened. Unlike bees which are only able to sting once, wasps can sting repeatedly and with a vengeance.
If you’ve found that a group of wasps have moved into your home or garden, here are some steps you can take to get rid of the problem once and for all.
Can I remove a wasp nest myself?
If you find a wasps nest that you believe with good evidence that it is empty, then you can safely remove the nest by yourself.
However, most professionals recommend that people do not attempt to remove live wasps nests on their own because of how aggressive the insects can be. They are highly protective of their nests and if they feel it is being threatened they will swarm and sting repeatedly.
Professionals have protective gear and safety equipment along with experience and expertise to remove nests. The cost of hiring a professional is less than the cost of a hospital bill if you get swarmed by wasps trying to remove a nest by yourself.
How do you get rid of a wasp’s nest without getting stung?
The best way to get rid of a wasp’s nest without getting stung is by calling a professional. But if you want to risk a few stings by doing it yourself, I can provide some advice.
You should wear as much safety equipment as possible including respiratory safety gear. Exterminators have access to PPE so they can avoid getting stung as much as possible.
If you’re going to get rid of the nest yourself it is best to approach the nest quietly and during the nighttime. Wasps don’t really sleep like you might expect them to, but they are less active at night.
Cover the nest with a plastic garbage bag then detach the nest and seal the bag. Lastly, place the bag with the nest into an outdoor trash bin that has a tightly sealing lid, and is away from the house.
You should not attempt to remove a wasp nest yourself that is buried underground, in the walls of your home, or not easily detached from a surface.
How not to get rid of a wasps nest
When removing a wasp nest, you want to do your best not to disturb or anger the wasps, so here are some common ways that people try to remove wasps nests that will for sure guarantee to make the bugs mad.
Using fire: Many people tend to think fire is an effective way to solve a wasp problem. Unfortunately, the thin, papery material that a wasps nest is made of is highly flammable. Attempting to set a nest on fire is more likely to result in you getting burnt, or the fire spreading uncontrollably…or more likely both.
Fire also won’t kill the wasps, when their home is on fire, they know to leave and when they do, they won’t be happy. Setting a nest on fire is a good way to rile up a hive of wasps and get yourself seriously hurt.
Drowning wasps: Wasps often die in pools and small bodies of water, so it makes sense that using water to drown a wasps nest would work, right? If that nest is in your home, you’re more likely going to cause water damage than you are to solve the wasp problem.
Like with fire, when a wasp’s home is getting flooded, they know to leave, and they will be angry and take it out on the nearest victim. It’s just not worth the risk.
Swing and a miss: Lastly, a lot of people try to get rid of a wasps nest by beating it with a bat or cane or golf club. Please don’t do this. You have to get pretty close to a nest in order to hit it with anything which will already put you in danger of being stung. But then to aggravate the nest by beating it? It might knock the nest down but it’s not going to kill any of the wasps, it’s just going to make them mad.
What kills wasps instantly?
If you have one wasp in your home that you’re trying to kill, a mixture of one teaspoon of dish soap to two cups of water sprayed directly on the wasp will kill it.
If you’re trying to kill a hive of wasps, you can buy a store-bought insect killer, or use the dish soap solution on the nest. The soapy water will essentially stop the wasp from being able to breathe which will kill them. You can spray this mixture on the nest, but it does require you to get pretty close to the wasp nest which is not recommended.
When should you kill a wasp’s nest?
The best time to go after a wasp’s nest is at sunrise or at dusk when the insects are least active. They don’t sleep really, but during these times they aren’t flying around and are at their least aggressive.
How to get rid of wasps nests without killing the wasps?
If you have a heart of gold and want to get rid of the nest but not harm the insects, it is a risk but it is doable.
The best way to get rid of the nest without killing the wasps is to simply relocate the nest. You can do this at dawn or dusk when the wasps are quiet and inactive. Simply use a large plastic bowl with a lid to cover the nest while you detach it from its perch. Then move the nest far away from your home but leave the lid on. Come back to the new site an hour later and remove the lid.
What plants will repel wasps?
A lot of highly scented herbs and plants will keep wasps away from your home such as wormwood, citronella, mint, rosemary, sage, thyme, and fennel. If you plant these herbs around your home where wasps might like to build, it should help keep them from doing that.