How to Get Rid of Wasps

You may have noticed the telltale signs of a wasp infestation on your property: more stings than usual, increased buzzing, or perhaps you can even see the structure they’ve built. Once you’ve determined that you have a problem, you’ll want to know how to get rid of wasps around the house.

How to Get Rid of Wasps

First things first: make sure that you have a wasp problem and not a honeybee problem. The government protects bees, whose populations are in decline. If upon closer inspection you realize that you actually have bees, it’s best to call a beekeeper. They will often remove the hive for free. Even if they charge, you are doing the right thing to save this endangered species.

Once you’ve ascertained that you do have a wasp nest on your property, there are two ways you can get rid of wasps.

Do-it-yourself Methods

Plenty of DIY tutorials online explain how to get rid of wasps. While you may prefer not to spend money to have an exterminator to take care of the problem, attempting to extinguish the wasps yourself can be incredibly dangerous. Wasps are highly aggressive and need little or no provocation to attack you.

Hire a Professional

A professional pest care expert is the safest, most reliable, and most cost-effective way to get rid of the nest. They’ve got everything that you don’t: training, protective gear, and professional-grade products. Your safety and peace of mind are well worth the cost of hiring an expert to take care of this dangerous problem, especially if you have pets or children.

How to Get Rid of Wasps Nests—Some DIY Methods

There are several DIY methods if you’re feeling courageous, but again, we don’t recommend tackling this particular home improvement project yourself. Here are the most common:

• Pesticides
• Insecticidal dust
• Fire and smoke
• Water
• Smashing the nest
• Suffocating the nest

Some of these DIY methods are more effective than others. Some will only work if the nest is located somewhere accessible. For example, spraying it with water is impossible if the nest is positioned in your attic or high up on your roof. And some methods may create other dangers, like the risk to your health and property if you set the nest on fire.

The bottom line? Make sure to do your research and create a plan of attack before trying any one of these.

Things to Keep in Mind for DIY Removal

While we strongly advise against removing the wasps yourself, there are a few things to know if you insist on going this route.

The first is that certain times of the year are better than others to get rid of wasps. Late spring or the start of summer is the best time to remove nests because they are still relatively small at this point. On the other hand, if it’s getting toward the end of summer, the nest is close to the end of its lifecycle, and you may want to just let it die on its own.

Unlike with honeybees, who will return to a hive if any trace of the scent remains, you don’t need to remove a wasp nest. Treating it or destroying it is sufficient to get rid of wasps.

These creatures are sleepy at night, so any removal attempt should be carried out after sundown. Make sure to keep children and pets away from the nest while you’re attempting to remove it, and always have an escape plan in mind should things not go according to plan.

Lastly, if you’re allergic to wasp stings or suspect you could be allergic, don’t take the risk. Hire a professional.