Desk of Contents[Hide][Show]
Find out how to safely take away a wasp nest with no hurt to those essential pollinators, no danger of stings to you, and no poison!
Over time, I’ve shared many secure, different strategies for pest management in and across the house.
Wasps, nevertheless, have been at all times a troublesome downside for me to unravel.
Whereas getting a small flock of yard chickens eradicated wasp nests from porch railings and hidden inside bushes, a number of massive wasp nests nonetheless pop up throughout the spring and summer time months.
They normally seem beneath the eves of the home, effectively out of attain of my feathered mates!
Eradicating these nests has at all times been a tough state of affairs for a number of causes.
Wasps are Important Pollinators and Predators
Wasps are crucial pollinators within the meals chain.
And, since I’ve a big backyard as do a lot of my neighbors, preserving pollinators for the neighborhood is essential!
Apart from pollination duties, wasps additionally cut back the inhabitants of pests that may plague meals crops comparable to caterpillars and whiteflies. Within the case of caterpillars, they accomplish this by laying parasitic eggs contained in the caterpillar.
As meat eaters, wasps additionally cut back the inhabitants of different nuisance bugs. Even a small wasp colony can devour as much as 3,000 flies, mosquitos, and spiders per day as a protein supply. (1)
Briefly, it isn’t okay to kill wasps within the majority of circumstances.
Discovering a technique to transfer them comparable to you’ll do with a honeybee colony present in your storage is a significantly better strategy for each you and the surroundings!
Poison is a Non-Starter
I haven’t ever used poison to take away wasps, nor would I ever name a pest management firm to carry out this service both.
Poison not solely kills them, which is counterproductive to the ecosystem as described above, however it’s also a poisonous endeavor for the home-owner.
Wasps generally construct nests beneath the eves of a house. This will also be in shut proximity to home windows, the place poisonous fumes can acquire entry to the inside of the house.
Simply say no to poison in the case of eliminating wasp nests!
Danger of A number of Stings
When you’ve realized that killing the wasps is just not preferrred, then the following factor that’s of concern is the excessive danger of getting stung throughout the wasp nest removing course of.
In different phrases, if you happen to’re within the “don’t kill the wasps” camp, merely pulling down the nest in order that they have to hunt greener pastures elsewhere is dangerous enterprise.
Not like honeybees, which solely sting you as soon as, a single wasp can inflict a number of stings immediately.
This may occur by thick clothes like a pair of denims too!
I’ve been recognized to take a brush, knock down a wasp nest within the early morning when exercise is low, after which run as quick as I can into the home. 😂
I’ve had so many wasp stings through the years that I’ve truthfully misplaced rely. This house treatment for wasp stings is my go-to remedy to keep away from swelling and a attainable allergic response.
After all, now that I’ve a honey-producing yard beehive, I can placed on my beekeeper swimsuit for such a activity. That looks as if overkill, at the least to me although!
Wasps Rapidly Rebuild Close by
One other downside with the “knock down the nest” methodology is that the wasps can shortly construct a brand new nest close by.
So, whilst you reach eradicating one nest, you haven’t succeeded in any respect in deterring the wasps from taking over residence beneath one other roofing edge, eve or overhang as shut as a number of yards away!
Thus, simply pulling down the nest is a vicious circle that by no means actually ends.
Greatest Strategy to Take away a Wasp Nest
The excellent news is that there’s a simple methodology that each preserves the wasps, prevents you from getting stung, AND encourages the wasps to construct a brand new nest distant from your own home.
This strategy is what I name the “brown paper bag” methodology for wasp removing, for lack of a greater identify.
You see, wasps are extremely territorial.
So, in the event that they see a mega-hive close by, the residents of the smaller hive are going to skedaddle for greener pastures elsewhere.
As you possibly can see from the image beneath, this fairly massive wasp nest emptied out in a rush at my house! As soon as the wasps are gone, you possibly can safely take away the nest with no poison and no danger of stings!
Brown Paper Bag Methodology
All you want to punk the wasps into shifting to a different location that’s not close to your own home is to hold a brown paper bag inside a number of ft of the nest.
The brown paper bag is a faux nest that triggers alarm within the wasps to shortly vacate the premises.
So long as you aren’t disturbing the prevailing nest, there may be little danger of getting stung. I recommend hanging it throughout occasions of low nest exercise comparable to early morning or nightfall.
If you happen to don’t have a brown paper bag useful (grocery store variations work nice), then a protracted piece of brown paper that comes as a part of the packing materials for deliveries is an effective substitute.
Varieties of Wasps Affected
This methodology works for social wasps that dwell in colonies. In my space of the nation, that might primarily embrace paper wasps as proven within the photograph above.
The brown bag strategy additionally works for northern paper wasps that construct sturdier nests with the larvae cells fully enclosed.
Be aware that this methodology is ineffective for solitary wasps that construct particular person nests comparable to thread-waisted wasps.
Directions
Merely form a brown paper bag together with your fingers in order that it appears like a large wasp nest.
Then, connect it beneath a roofing edge close by.
The method of the wasps leaving the outdated nest and rebuilding a ways away can take anyplace from a number of days to a few weeks.
Climate Impacts Effectiveness
The one problem to the effectiveness of this methodology is the climate.
If it rains, then the brown paper bag turns into a soggy mess and falls down. So, make sure to gauge when you should have a dry spell of at the least a number of days. A full two weeks is finest.
Additionally, you will need to take care to put the bag in a spot the place the morning dew gained’t dampen it, probably inflicting it to disintegrate.
Find out how to Know When the Wasps Have Moved
As soon as the wasps are gone, you possibly can safely knock down the outdated nest with none danger to your self or the wasps (who’re lengthy gone residing some place else anyway).
Early morning and late night are the least energetic occasions for wasps. (2)
Thus, the center of the day is the very best time of day to test for any residual colony exercise.
When you see no exercise for a day or two, then the coast is obvious to take away the outdated nest because the wasps are safely homesteading elsewhere.
Have you ever tried the brown paper bag strategy for eradicating a wasp nest? Let me learn about your outcomes!
(1) Is it Okay to Kill Wasps?
(2) What to Know About Wasp Nests
