Unlike other household pests that are simply a nuisance, wasps, and wasp infestations in your home can be extremely dangerous. When wasps sting, they can cause serious health problems—especially among those with severe bee allergies. If a resident of your home is swarmed by a cluster of wasps, these attacks can be fatal. If you experience an allergic reaction to a wasp sting, these reactions will manifest themselves in the form of symptoms such as swelling of the face and throat. This swelling can close up your airway, which may lead to death.
To identify a wasp infestation, inspect your property. If you notice that wasps are buzzing around your home or if you spot visible nests, your home is likely experiencing a wasp infestation.
Wasps build nests around your home and multiply each day. The location of these nests will depend on the type of wasp infesting your home. Because the type of wasp and the location of the nest directly correlate, your pest control experts will use this information to design the most effective pest control plan for your home.
Professional pest control providers, like those at Moxie Pest Control, are well-versed in wasp removal and have years of experience to back their insider knowledge. In the case of a severe wasp infestation with multiple nests, it’s recommended that you contact the experts.
Four main types of wasps can build nests around your home.
If you’ve assessed the situation and believe you’re equipped to handle the wasp nest yourself, you’ll need to familiarize yourself with the four main types of wasps that can build nests around your home.
Hornets
Hornets are among the most common and the most deadly type of wasp. They are known to live in large colonies and form their nests on tree branches, the undersides of decks, and other areas out-of-reach.
If these hornet nests are left undisturbed, they will grow in size exponentially. A larger nest will store a bigger number of hornets. With more hornets occupying the nest or nests on your property, your chances of suffering from a hornet sting are statistically higher. Unlike honey bees, hornets survive these stings—leaving more victims in their wake.
Yellowjackets
When compared to a hornet infestation, a yellowjacket infestation is much more challenging to identify, as this type of wasp doesn’t build nests. Instead, they breed in wall voids and the ground.
Paper insects
This type of wasp builds nests in the most visible areas in your outdoor space, i.e., the crevices of your outdoor furniture or the frames of your windows. Because their nests are easy-to-locate, you may be able to mitigate this type of wasp infestation with DIY methods.
Mud daubers
Mud daubers are characterized by their nests with mud-like textures. Upon first glance, these nests look like tubes joined together, distinguishing them from any other type of wasp nest.
The longer you avoid a mud dauber’s nest, the more difficult it will be to get rid of it. Unfortunately, permanent removal of wasps can be a challenging task. However, you can resolve the situation temporarily by removing the wasp nest yourself. If you decide to tackle this type of wasp infestation, take necessary precautions to ensure the safety of all those involved in the extermination. When disturbed, this type of wasp may attack passersby.
Wear personal protective clothing (PPE)
After identifying the type of wasp that’s infesting your home, you can carefully remove the nest using the following procedures. Warning, those who have been diagnosed with bee allergies shouldn’t exterminate wasps using DIY methods.
If you don’t have pre-existing allergies, before you begin the process, you’ll need to put on PPE (also known as personal protective equipment). PPE includes items like overalls, boots, ski goggles, and gloves, and respiratory protective gear that covers your face and head. As an extra precaution, you can spray pesticides over the PPEs to repel the wasps from your body.
Do it at night
Wasps are incredibly active during the day and less active at night. At night, they may be more aggressive during their attack. The darkness of night will also give you an added advantage. Use amber or red lighting to light your way and attract the wasps you’re hoping to exterminate. Remember, wasps flock to bright light.
Approach the nest stealthily and with caution
To avoid drawing attention to yourself and attracting the wasps, approach the nest with caution. A reckless approach to pest control will only leave you with painful stings and subsequent symptoms such as swelling, breathing difficulties, hives, loss of consciousness, or vomiting.
Never use a ladder
If the nest is too high up for you to reach, don’t resort to a ladder. Ladder mishaps can result in severe injuries, especially if you fall due to an expected attack. For a nest that’s too high, consider calling a pest control provider.
Make sure there are no children around.
Both wasps and pesticides can harm children. To prevent screaming fits, make sure that there aren’t any children around when removing a nest.
Have an escape plan and a first aid kit
If you’re stung even despite your best efforts to protect yourself, make sure that you have a first aid kit on-hand stocked with all essentials you may need in the case of a sting. Depending on the severity of the sting, painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs will come in-handy.
Get rid of the nest
You can dispose of the nest or choose to destroy it. To properly dispose of a wasp nest, you’ll need a trash bag. Use the bag to wrap the entire nest and then detach it from its place. Quickly tie the bag, then place the bag in tightly-sealed garbage can far away from any entry points.
Destruction of the nest can be done using an insecticide, a fire, soapy solutions, or just water. The insecticide should be in the form of dust for it to be effective. If you decide a pesticide is the best solution, apply it around the entrance of the nest. Once the dust has entered the nest, these wasps should die within two days.
Soapy solutions work by disabling the wasps from flying, eventually killing them. Spray the soapy solution at high speed using a hose into the entrance of the nest for just a few seconds.
Lighting a fire below the nest exposes the wasps to smoke, forcing them to vacate the nest. You can also use a bucket filled with water to drown the nest if it’s still hanging.
Some of these methods, such as the use of fire, can be dangerous and will still make you susceptible to attack.
