Simple Wasp Nest Removing (no hurt!)

The right way to safely take away a wasp nest with no hurt to those necessary pollinators, no threat of stings to you, and no poison!

Through the years, I’ve shared many protected, different strategies for pest management in and across the house.

Wasps, nevertheless, 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 giant 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 all the time been a tough state of affairs 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 a lot of my neighbors, preserving pollinators for the neighborhood is essential!

Moreover pollination duties, wasps additionally cut back the inhabitants of pests that may plague meals crops akin 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 eat 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 akin to you’d do with a honeybee colony present in your storage is a significantly better method for each you and the atmosphere!

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 additionally it is a poisonous endeavor for the house 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 on the subject of eliminating wasp nests!

Threat of A number of Stings

When you’ve realized that killing the wasps just isn’t perfect, then the subsequent factor that’s of concern is the excessive threat 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 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 instantly.

This may occur via thick clothes like a pair of denims too!

I’ve been identified 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 house treatment for wasp stings is my go-to remedy to keep away from swelling and a doable allergic response.

In fact, now that I’ve a honey-producing yard beehive, I can placed on my beekeeper swimsuit for such a process. That looks like overkill, not less than to me although!

Wasps Shortly 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, when you reach eradicating one nest, you haven’t succeeded in any respect in deterring the wasps from taking over residence below one other roofing edge, eve or overhang as shut as a couple of yards away!

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

Finest 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 home.

This method 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 may see from the image beneath, this moderately giant wasp nest emptied out in a rush at my house! As soon as the wasps are gone, you may safely take away the nest with no poison and no threat of stings!

Brown Paper Bag Methodology

All you could punk the wasps into transferring to a different location that isn’t close to your home is to hold a brown paper bag inside a couple 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 prevailing nest, there’s little threat of getting stung. I recommend hanging it throughout occasions of low nest exercise akin to early morning or nightfall.

In case you 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.

Kinds 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 photograph above.

The brown bag method additionally works for northern paper wasps that construct sturdier nests with the larvae cells fully enclosed.

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

Directions

Merely form a brown paper bag together with your fingers in order that it seems to be like an enormous 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 couple 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 should have a dry spell of not less than a couple of days. A full two weeks is greatest.

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

The right way to Know When the Wasps Have Moved

As soon as the wasps are gone, you may safely knock down the outdated nest with none threat to your self or the wasps (who’re lengthy gone dwelling elsewhere anyway).

Early morning and late night are the least lively 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 evident to take away the outdated nest because the wasps are safely homesteading elsewhere.

Have you ever tried the brown paper bag method 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