How you can safely take away a wasp nest with no hurt to those necessary pollinators, no danger of stings to you, and no poison!

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

Wasps, nonetheless, have 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 throughout the spring and summer season months.

They normally seem beneath the eves of the home, properly out of attain of my feathered mates!

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

Wasps are Vital Pollinators and Predators

Wasps are crucial pollinators within the meals chain.

And, since I’ve a big backyard as do lots 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 similar 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 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 solution to transfer them similar 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 can 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 excellent, then the following factor that’s of concern is the excessive danger of getting stung throughout the wasp nest elimination course of.

In different phrases, in the event you’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.

In contrast to honeybees, which solely sting you as soon as, a single wasp can inflict a number of stings straight away.

This will 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 depend. This residence treatment for wasp stings is my go-to remedy to keep away from swelling and a potential allergic response.

In fact, now that I’ve a honey-producing yard beehive, I can placed on my beekeeper go well with for such a job. That looks as if overkill, not less than to me although!

Wasps Rapidly Rebuild Close by

One other downside with the “knock down the nest” methodology is that the wasps can rapidly construct a brand new nest close by.

So, when you reach eradicating one nest, you haven’t succeeded in any respect in deterring the wasps from taking on 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 Method 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 elimination, 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 may see from the image under, this relatively massive wasp nest emptied out in a rush at my residence! As soon as the wasps are gone, you may safely take away the nest with no poison and no danger of stings!

Brown Paper Bag Technique

All you should 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 rapidly vacate the premises.

So long as you aren’t disturbing the present nest, there may be little danger of getting stung. I counsel hanging it throughout instances of low nest exercise similar to early morning or nightfall.

Should you don’t have a brown paper bag helpful (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.

Kinds of Wasps Affected

This methodology works for social wasps that reside in colonies. In my space of the nation, that will primarily embody 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 utterly enclosed.

Observe that this methodology is ineffective for solitary wasps that construct particular person nests similar to thread-waisted wasps.

Directions

Merely form a brown paper bag along with your palms 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 outdated nest and rebuilding a long way away can take wherever 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, remember to gauge when you’ll have a dry spell of not less than a number of days. A full two weeks is finest.

Additionally, you will need to take care to position the bag in a spot the place the morning dew gained’t dampen it, probably inflicting it to disintegrate.

How you can Know When the Wasps Have Moved

As soon as the wasps are gone, you may safely knock down the outdated nest with none danger 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 one of the best time of day to examine 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 find out about your outcomes!

References