How to get rid of a wasp nest: Tips for safely removing hives
How to get rid of a wasp nest: tips for safely removing hives
By Clara Danneberg, Evan Williams
There’s an eerie sound, the buzzing, that fills the air when a wasp enters your home. Unlike bees, who do not want harm and are vital to the environment, wasps can sting repeatedly and become aggressive. How to get rid of a wasp nest safely and effectively.
Be very careful when attempting to remove or relocate a wasp hive as it can be dangerous. © 123rf / Fotogigi85
Wasps can sting you as many times as they fucking want. Their stings can hurt and, in some extreme cases, lead to anaphylaxis and even death.
Unlike bees, wasps can also become quite aggressive as they don’t usually die if they sting you.
Wasps build nests, also called hives, out of a paper-like substance they make from dry wood. Like bees, these nests are then used to house the queen, her larvae, and fully formed wasps. They can be big or small, and are often built in incredibly inconvenient places for us humans.
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While the nest is not dangerous to us, the insects that live in it can be. You will want to get rid of it and relocate it for sure. In this to leadwe will examine how to safely get rid of a wasp nest and how to prevent them from building.
Here is the TLDR version:
- Despite what many believe, wasps actually play an important role in the local ecosystem. Therefore, you should carefully consider whether it is actually necessary to remove the hive.
- If you can afford it, it is best to have wasp nests professionally removed.
- You should only remove a completely empty wasp nest yourself.
- To prevent wasp nests from being built in your home, make sure all potential nest sites are sealed.
- By installing a dummy wasp, further wasp nests can be prevented.
Wasps are nasty creatures and removing their hives can be difficult. © Unsplash / James Wainscoat
Should you kill wasps or remove wasp nests?
Wasps might be nasty little buggers with a big sting and lots of bitterness, but that doesn’t mean you should run around trying to kill them. Now feel free to wave them away if they start bothering you, but there’s no need to kill them.
These little insects actually play a pretty important role in the ecosystem, eating numerous pests. In addition, wasps are actually eaten by various animals, especially birds, and for this reason they are sometimes considered a food source themselves.
However, if you are allergic to wasp bites, they can pose a very real threat to your life. While it’s best not to kill them, the most important thing is to protect yourself.
How to safely get rid of a wasp nest
If the wasp nest poses a danger to you or a member of your household, it should be removed. The problem, however, is that moving wasp nests is dangerous, as thousands of wasps often live in them. If you start moving that thing, the wasps inside might attack you immediately.
There are several ways to get rid of wasp nests, some more effective than others. Our number one recommendation is to consult a professional.
Remove wasp nests: do it yourself
We do not recommend removing a wasp nest yourself. While it can be done, homes typically lack the necessary protective clothing and equipment to get the job done. Wasps can penetrate your clothes and sting you, especially without these clothes. Considering how many wasps there can be, this could be extremely dangerous to your health.
However, you can remove one abandoned wasp nest itself, or perhaps a nest built only by a wasp. This should only be done if it has been determined that doing so will not pose a threat to your health or the health of a loved one. Make sure you have organized a clear escape route.
When removing a wasp nest that is deserted or has only one wasp, spray it with bug spray and stand back to make sure no wasps attack you. Once the only wasp that built it has died or flown away, or when you know there aren’t any wasps in it, you can knock it down and discard it.
When is it safe to remove a wasp nest yourself?
If you insist on removing a small or seemingly abandoned wasp nest yourself, the best time to remove it is at sunrise or sunset in the fall or winter. During this time, wasps are less active and you can significantly reduce your risk of attack.
Remove wasp nests: fight wasps
You can control active wasp nests with a variety of chemicals, but the best are special foams or sprays designed to kill wasps. These insecticides and poisons can be placed in the openings of the nest to kill the wasps that live inside.
Alternatively, contact poisons can be used. These are picked up by flying wasps and brought back to the nest. Here the contact venom spreads to all other wasps including the queen and the hive slowly dies.
Fumigation is not a good idea, and neither is fire, since wasp nests are very flammable.
Before killing a population of wasps, you should consult a professional and get their opinion. If you can afford it, this professional should then be hired to remove it themselves.
How to remove a wasp nest: wasp relocation
Relocating wasps can be very expensive, but it is by far the most humane and environmentally friendly way to deal with them. However, this method can really only be carried out by a specialist in full protective clothing. If a wasp nest needs to be moved, it is likely full of wasps and very dangerous.
In the resettlement process, all wasps are sucked into a special device, followed by the removal of the nest and its placement in a trap box. Thereafter, the wasps and nest are transported to a natural location at least 3 miles away.
Remove wasp nest: Can you pay for the removal?
According to sources, you can expect to pay anywhere from $100 to $200 for a simple wasp nest removal. However, the price varies based on a number of factors.
These factors include:
- The size of the wasp nest
- The accessibility of the wasp nest
- The urgency of the appointment
- The desired time for the appointment
- The prices and availability of pest experts in your area
In urgent cases, some pest control companies even offer an emergency service. However, this usually costs more. Of course, before agreeing to a professional wasp nest removal, you should obtain a full quote so that you understand what you are getting yourself into financially.
Although it may seem very expensive to have a wasp nest professionally removed, this is the best option as it poses the least health risk and often the least disruption to the wasps. Of course, if the nest is tiny and there are no (or very few) wasps in it, you can remove it yourself. If not, seek professional help.
This will prevent a wasp nest from forming
Wasps can sting you if you’re not careful. © Unsplash / Dan Kb
From the beginning of spring, a queen wasp looks for an ideal place for a wasp nest. Then she begins construction, using small pieces of wood to form a cone-shaped nest that slowly grows.
If you don’t want to have a wasp nest around, this is the best time to prevent wasp formation as you will deal with a wasp more easily and the queen will also leave the nest regularly.
Here are a few more effective ways to prevent wasp nests:
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- Seal cracks, shutters, pipe openings and attic entrances in your home.
- Remove dirt piles and holes made by moles or mice.
- Spoil your garden and roof with scents of garlic, citronella or tea tree oil.
- Attach a wasp nest dummy to likely spots where nests may form.
If you witness a queen starting to build her nest, you can easily destroy or remove it at the beginning. This is the most effective way to prevent a runaway infestation.
Don’t kill wasps, get rid of them safely
Killing wasps with chemicals might be quick and cheap, but it’s terrible for the environment, and if it doesn’t kill them right away, it can make them attack even more furiously. Instead, we recommend contacting a professional and having them relocate your wasp nest somewhere cheaper.
Wasps are not inherently bad, although they are a nuisance and can seriously hurt you if you are allergic. That being said, it’s not safe to have a wasp nest anywhere near your home, so it’s fair enough to have it removed. Use a pro, especially when the hive is large!
Cover photo: 123rf / Fotogigi85