Straightforward Wasp Nest Removing (no hurt!)

Find out how to safely take away a wasp nest with no hurt to those vital pollinators, no threat of stings to you, and no poison!

Over time, I’ve shared many secure, different strategies for pest management in and across the residence.

Wasps, nonetheless, had been all the time a tough 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 in the course of the spring and summer time months.

They often seem beneath the eves of the home, nicely out of attain of my feathered associates!

Eradicating these nests has all the time been a tough scenario for a number of causes.

Wasps are Crucial Pollinators and Predators

Wasps are essential pollinators within the meals chain.

And, since I’ve a big backyard as do a lot of my neighbors, preserving pollinators for the group is essential!

Moreover pollination duties, wasps additionally scale back the inhabitants of pests that may plague meals crops corresponding 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 scale back the inhabitants of different nuisance bugs. Even a small wasp colony can eat as much as 3,000 flies, mosquitos, and spiders per day as a protein supply. (1)

In brief, it isn’t okay to kill wasps within the majority of circumstances.

Discovering a method to transfer them corresponding to you’ll do with a honeybee colony present in your storage is a significantly better strategy for each you and the setting!

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 house owner.

Wasps generally construct nests beneath the eves of a house. This may 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 terms of eliminating wasp nests!

Threat of A number of Stings

When you’ve realized that killing the wasps isn’t perfect, then the following factor that’s of concern is the excessive threat of getting stung in the course of the wasp nest removing course of.

In different phrases, when you’re within the “don’t kill the wasps” camp, merely flattening the nest so 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 via 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 over time that I’ve truthfully misplaced rely. This residence treatment for wasp stings is my go-to therapy to keep away from swelling and a doable 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 like overkill, a minimum of 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 achieve eradicating one nest, you haven’t succeeded in any respect in deterring the wasps from taking on residence underneath one other roofing edge, eve or overhang as shut as a number of yards away!

Thus, simply flattening the nest is a vicious circle that by no means actually ends.

Finest Method to Take away a Wasp Nest

The excellent news is that there’s a straightforward 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 title.

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 residence! As soon as the wasps are gone, you possibly can safely take away the nest with no poison and no threat of stings!

Brown Paper Bag Methodology

All it is advisable punk the wasps into transferring to a different location that’s not close to your own home is to hold a brown paper bag inside a number of toes 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 present nest, there’s little threat of getting stung. I counsel hanging it throughout instances of low nest exercise corresponding to early morning or nightfall.

If you happen to don’t have a brown paper bag helpful (grocery store variations work nice), then an extended piece of brown paper that comes as a part of the packing materials for deliveries is an effective substitute.

Forms of Wasps Affected

This methodology works for social wasps that stay in colonies. In my space of the nation, that might primarily embody paper wasps as proven within the picture 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 corresponding to thread-waisted wasps.

Directions

Merely form a brown paper bag together with your arms in order that it seems to be like a large wasp nest.

Then, connect it beneath a roofing edge close by.

The method of the wasps leaving the previous nest and rebuilding a long way 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, you should definitely gauge when you’ll have a dry spell of a minimum of a number of days. A full two weeks is finest.

Additionally, you will wish to take care to put the bag in a spot the place the morning dew received’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 previous nest with none threat to your self or the wasps (who’re lengthy gone dwelling some other place anyway).

Early morning and late night are the least energetic instances for wasps. (2)

Thus, the center of the day is the most effective time of day to examine for any residual colony exercise.

When you see no exercise for a day or two, then the coast is evident to take away the previous nest because the wasps are safely homesteading elsewhere.

Have you ever tried the brown paper bag strategy for eradicating a wasp nest? Let me find out about your outcomes!

References

(1) Is it Okay to Kill Wasps?

(2) What to Know About Wasp Nests