Insects such as wasps have a habit of settling under gutters or soffits, which calls for being able to remove a wasp nest. Wasps are not only annoying, but also dangerous. A wasp sting is painful and poisonous, which can even be fatal, especially for allergy sufferers. In addition, the presence of wasps becomes a serious problem if you have children who may not protect themselves adequately. Even your favorite animals can be injured by wasp stings. Therefore, if you spot wasp nests, you should plan to remove them immediately. Here are some options and home remedies that can help you.
What you should know before you can remove a wasp nest
To ensure the presence of thesePests on your propertyTo minimize this, it is important to destroy any wasp nests you come across. Although getting rid of wasps this way is not particularly difficult or time-consuming, first and foremost, you need courage. Like any soldier going into battle, you must arm yourself with the right “weapons”. However, before you figure out how to remove a wasp nest, you need to make sure that field wasps are the insects you are dealing with.
Some wasp nests are similar to those of bees, which may require different removal techniques. In fact, some species are protected, meaning you could face a hefty fine if you kill a bee or even disturb its habitat. Therefore, it is important to be 100 percent sure that the nest you want to remove belongs to wasps. So what does a wasp nest look like?
However, it could also resemble a round, umbrella-shaped cone attached to a horizontal surface in a sheltered location by a single stem. There are several places a wasp could hang its nest, including: attics, tree branches, indoor and outdoor ceilings, window corners, the undersides of porches and decks, and the insides of grills or hose reels. A professional pest control specialist can help you determine exactly whether your problem is a wasp nest or something else.
This is how you can identify wasp nests
The first problem you may encounter is identifying wasp nests. If you have a vegetable garden, you can be sure that it has attracted the insects. If there is a lot of still water in your area, you have just scored another point. It should be fairly easy to find the location of the nest if you stand still for a few minutes and study their flight path. Watch this long enough and you will be able to tell where they are coming from. Take a close look at the fascias and soffits to see if they have begun to deteriorate and rot. If damaged, they could open gaps that the wasps can exploit and get into the attic.
Another popular place for wasps is the area where cables lead into the house, garden sheds or garages. But be aware that a wasp nest can also form in the ground. In this case, they would make a hole that would most likely be covered by leaves and other debris they found on the ground. You can use many DIY methods when removing a wasp nest, but you should avoid attempting it yourself if you are allergic to the stings.
These insects are aggressive and will not wait for you to provoke them to attack you. Many strong (and often toxic) chemicals are sold commercially to rid homeowners of wasps, but it's recommended to approach the problem the old-fashioned way. Read on to learn how to get rid of wasp nests with little more than soap and hot water.
Follow simple steps and remove a wasp nest
If you feel brave and educated enough, you can try to get rid of the hornet's nest yourself. Queen wasps emerge from hibernation in early spring and begin forming new colonies. This means that in late spring and early summer the nest is still small and poised for growth. If you want to remove the wasp nest without hurting the insects, this is the best time to do it.
Postponing the distance will only make it more difficult and dangerous for you to do so. Wasp nests are best removed at night, as their inhabitants are less active, slow to react and far less aggressive. Use a red light to see the nest or wait until early morning to take advantage of morning light.
Precautions against injuries and stings
- Wear protective clothing– make sure you wear protective clothing if you are trying to remove a wasp nest yourself, and take extra measures when covering sensitive areas such as the face and neck – wasp stings are most painful in these areas.
- Have a backup plan– plan and prepare an escape route in case things don’t go as planned and the wasps attack you. For example, try to get into your house.
- Prepare oneFirst aid kitorHome remedies for wasp stingsBefore - if a wasp still stings you despite all your careful preparations, you need to treat the wound. You can use the contents of your first aid kit to do this. However, be sure to monitor the bite for at least 24 hours to make sure you don't suffer an allergic reaction.
Instructions for removing wasp nests
Removing wasp nests may seem like a simple task, but it can be complex because aggravated wasps swarm and sting. After properly equipping yourself for battle, you can now choose the best way to get rid of wasps. Choose one of the following methods:
- Take a bucket with youboiling waterPouring on the wasp nest does two things: it instantly kills numerous wasps and destroys their nest. However, this might require a few full buckets if you want to destroy the nest and completely dislodge it from its hanging spot. In the meantime, you've probably annoyed dozens of stinging wasps. The wise course is to plan your attacks several hours (or even a whole day) apart.
- A second similar but slightly better method involves addingliquid soap or dishwashing detergentto the boiling water before pouring it on the nest. But why use soap? Because it slows down the wasps and makes it more difficult for them to counterattack. Again, you will probably need more than one bucket to destroy the nest, but with this method you are less likely to get stung in the process.
- The use ofPeppermint oilis another excellent way to safely remove a wasp nest. And this is how it's done:
- Apply a few drops of the oil to cotton balls or tissues.
- Place the oiled pieces around your home, especially in spaces between sheds, porches, decking, and any other gaps where wasps can build nests. The smell of the oil repels the wasps and rids your home of these problematic insects. Alternatively, you can remove wasp nests with other essential oils such as cinnamon, clove, lemongrass or geranium and follow the same steps.
How to remove a wasp nest by destroying wasp colonies
You can destroy the wasp nests at the site by using some tactics. However, this method uses an insect spray that soaks the wasp nest. Depending on the accessibility of the nest, you can either use a sprayer with an extended nozzle or handheld sprayers. Once you are sure the entire colony is dead, you can destroy the nest. An insecticide is also available in powdered form. All you have to do is drop the powder into the nest to wipe out the entire wasp colony. This method requires reapplication and therefore may take a few weeks to kill all wasps.
