Pest Control Tips for Wasps

While there are many species of wasps, the paper wasp is the most typical home invader.  The paper wasp is identified as an insect that is about ¾ to 1-inch long, slender, narrow waist with long legs.  Color ranges from redish-orange to dark brown or black in color.  All paper wasps are identifiable by the yellowish marking on the abdomen (the part after the real narrow waist).

The paper wasp has been named as such due to the look of their nests.  The nest looks like an umbrella full of holes filled with what looks like white cotton swabs.  The paper wasp is most likely found under eaves, behind shutters or in the corners of outside porches. 

Prevention:  As with all pests, the best prevention is home maintenance.  While I am in the habit of looking around my home at least twice a month, many homeowners may never actually inspect their home.  Not that this is bad, but it can allow for minor infestations like the paper wasp to take hold.  From March through late August (depending on your location in the United States), a routine inspection of the eaves of your home will result in the absolute elimination of paper wasps from you home.  The first sign of a nest is a very small six to ten cotton swab holes that look like they are made of paper.

At the first sign of a nest, if you can reach it with a broom, do so immediately.  At a small size such as the pictures above, there will only be one maybe two wasps.  As the nest grows, more adults make the broom method more dangerous.  It will take less than two weeks to double in size and additionally quadruple and so on. 

Removing Larger Nests:  Now comes the fun part.  If a nest goes unnoticed, they can grow quite big, quite quickly.  Here is the trick... Move slowly.  You can literally walk right up to the nest moving slowly without danger.  (I am putting a disclaimer here... If you freak out, you will, I repeat, you will get stung). The methods I will share with you below are how the trained pros do it and they do work, but, I am not responsible for anyone getting stung, falling off a ladder or other injury.

Things you will need to remove the nest:

Naturally without pesticides

1.   Two (2) plastic grocery store bags

2.   Pair of work gloves

3.   A long sleeve shirt

4.   Putty Knife or Small Flat Gardening Shovel

5.   Ladder if needed. If you use a ladder I cannot stress enough to be careful and move slowly.

The How To:

Do this either in the early morning or evening.  Wasps are daytime creatures and sleep like most animals during the night. 

OK... Here we go... Put the gloves on, put one plastic bag over the hand you are going to use to remove the nest... yes, I did just say you are going to remove the nest with your hands... Relax, move slowly and you will be fine.  Put the bag up over your hand and arm, the nest is going to get a bit gooey, plus the plastic works as additional protection in case you put your hand right on a wasp.  Kidding... just relax and move slowly, really, it works.

Moving slowly, I cannot stress enough to move slowly.  Taking the second plastic bag and holding it open under the nest.  Moving slowly, reach up and put your hand over the nest and literally pull it down into the bag. Now you can move quickly.  Close the bag quickly, because there will be some unhappy wasps at this point.  The putty knife is used after the fact to scrape the nest residue off.  There will be, should be no wasps flying around outside of the bag.  If there is, keep moving slowly and move away from the area.

Think this is nuts?  Not really.  That really is how it is done by the professionals.  I continue to remove nests with this method today.  Also, you will instantly become the hero of the block... (kids as well as adults think this is just way too cool)

The old fashioned way with pesticides:

1.   Raid for Wasps

2.   Plastic bag - for disposal

The How To:

Position yourself 4 to 6 feet from the nest.  Aim and spray.  Wait 5 minutes, remove the nest and put it in the plastic bag for disposal.  You should still be aware there may be some straggling, dying wasps so keep a cool head when disposing of the nest.

I recommend the old fashioned way if you are faint of heart, but you won't become the hero of the block this way... I also recommend the old fashioned way if the nest is dangerously high up. 

Sting Prevention:  Paper wasps have a lance-like stinger and can sting repeatedly. When a paper wasp is near you, stop moving.  Fast movement only gives the wasp a target. Remember… remain calm and stationary.  Once the wasp is uninterested, move very slowly away.  Never swing, strike or run rapidly away since quick movement often provokes attack and painful stings. Restrain children from throwing rocks or spraying nests with water.  Avoid creating loud noises and disturbance near the nest.