As pests go, there is little worse than wasps. While one lonely wasp in the garden or even in your home can be easily ignored, a full wasp nest at your property is a whole different ball game and requires wasp pest control.
If you notice a high number of wasps around your home or garden, then there is quite a good chance that a wasp nest is somewhere nearby and will need a wasp nest removal. A wasp nest at your home will need to be dealt with appropriately, as wasps are known to get very aggressive if they feel their home is being threatened.
Unlike bees, wasps can sting multiple times and tend to become agitated and sting with little provocation. Wasp nest removal can sometimes be done at home without the need for a wasp pest control professional. However, it is vital that you are confident enough and know the correct products and safety equipment to use.
It is often worthwhile seeking help for wasp nest removal, in order to keep yourself away from danger. This guide covers everything you need to know about wasp pest control, wasp nest removal and how to kill wasps safely.
Why is wasp pest control so important?
Wasps are one of the most feared pests in the country, and wasp stings can be extremely dangerous and painful. While a wasp won’t typically attack unless it feels threatened, they can quickly become aggressive. Furthermore, if one wasp is in distress, it will give off a pheromone to let its colony members nearby know. This can result in a group of overly defensive wasps which can be a real threat.
For some individuals, wasp stings are just a painful inconvenience, but for others, they can be fatal. Many people are allergic to wasp stings, and a single sting can produce a life-threatening situation if they are sent into anaphylaxis. Wasp nest removal and wasp pest control are vital for keeping your family and others around your property safe.
How to locate a wasp nest
If you have seen a number of wasps in one particular area, then it is likely that a wasp nest is nearby. Before you begin thinking about wasp pest control and wasp nest removal, you should try to locate where the nest is in order to decide how best to get rid of it.
Wasps often build nests in enclosed spaces such as trees, lofts, sheds and garages. Spend a bit of time watching where the wasps fly to and from, and you should begin to notice one particular location that they visit a lot.
If you do not feel like you can approach the nest yourself, you should seek the help of a wasp pest control professional who will be knowledgeable on how to kill wasps safely.
Is wasp nest removal always necessary?
No, it is not always necessary to remove a wasp nest or for wasp killer to be used. If a wasp nest is not posing any risk to anyone’s health and safety, then they can be left untouched. While many of us are not fond of them, wasps are very beneficial to gardens as they will feed their young with other garden pests such as caterpillars. Ultimately, this can help to protect your plants from being eaten.
How to identify the type of wasp nest
Once you know where the wasp nest is located, you will need to identify what type of wasps you have got. Each kind of wasp will have a different wasp nest control strategy and may require a different wasp killer. The most common wasp nests to find around the home are:
- Yellow Jackets: A Yellow Jacket wasp nest will often seem like the wasps appear from a small hole in the ground, in a tree or on a building. This type of wasp nest can contain up to two thousand wasps.
- Hornets: A hornet’s nest is round with a pointed bottom and will usually be around the same size as a football. The walls will be fairly smooth and there will be one single large opening.
- Paper wasps: Sometimes referred to as umbrella wasps, this type of insect have a nest with large, hexagonal open combs and hangs from a stalk.
- Honey bees: Honey bee nests can sometimes be confused for wasp nests. They will be formed of yellow layers and small hexagonal combs. Honey bees are a protected species and are vital for our environment, so it is illegal to remove a honey bee nest.
What are the characteristics of a wasp?
When it comes to how to kill wasps and wasps nest killer, it is important to understand the characteristics of a wasp first. A wasp nest will have two types of wasps within it:
- Worker wasps: These wasps are all sterile females. They will forage more than a mile for food, and as soon as the cold weather arrives, and the fruit is gone, these wasps will start to die.
- Queen wasp: The queen of the hive will be much larger than the worker wasps, usually around 2cm long. They will hibernate over the winter and make a wasp nest in spring which it uses to lay eggs. These eggs will grow into the worker wasps which takes about three to four weeks.
As the worker wasps start dying off in the winter, usually due to starvation or cold weather, the new queen wasps will begin hibernating, ready to start the process over again. The wasps will build brand new nests every year, so new wasp nests can continue to crop up time and time again as this process repeats.
How to prevent a wasp nest
Being a wasp preventer is always a better choice than being a wasp killer, and there are a number of precautions you can take to stop wasps from building nests in your property:
- Shut your bins: Leaving bins open will attract wasps that are looking for some easy food. To keep wasps out of your bins always make sure the lid is put on properly and keep your bins away from the building if possible.
- Protect windows and doors: One of the easiest ways to prevent a wasp nest is to keep wasps out of your home. Keep your doors and windows shut where possible, or install fly screens to stop insects getting in while still keeping the property cool during hot weather.
- Search for wasp nests: When it comes to springtime, it is worthwhile checking any spots that are likely to house a wasp nest. If you check for these during the spring, then the wasp nest will be small, and wasp nest removal will be simple. At this time of year, they will be around the size of a golf ball.
How to go about wasp nest removal
If you have a wasp nest that is posing a threat to you or somebody else, then wasp nest removal will be required. Wasp pest control can be dangerous, and while it is possible to do this yourself, it is often safer to seek help from a professional wasp nest killer. The wasps in the nest will likely get aggressive if they feel they are under attack, which could result in them stinging.
It is essential to bear in mind that not every wasp nest will need to be removed. If it is away from buildings and not causing problems, then it can be best just to leave it alone. As wasps build a new nest every year, they will abandon their old nest at the end of the summer. If you wait until the winter, you may be able to remove the nest once it is empty.
What to expect from wasp pest control
The safest option for wasp nest removal is to seek help from a wasp pest control company. A professional wasp nest killer will have the experience and knowledge to remove the wasp nest safely. They will provide the professional and protective equipment to remove the wasp nest while staying out of harm’s way. A professional will also have access to various wasp and nest killers and insecticides that cannot be obtained by the public.
The method for killing the wasps will involve the professional leaving some wasp killer at the entrance of the nest. This will cause the wasps to bring the insecticide inside, and after a few days, it will have killed the wasps that are using that nest. After all the wasps are gone, the wasp pest control company can then return to safely remove the wasp nest.
