Desk of Contents[Hide][Show]
The way to safely take away a wasp nest with no hurt to those essential 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 troublesome drawback for me to resolve.
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 often 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 Essential Pollinators and Predators
Wasps are essential 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!
In addition to pollination duties, wasps additionally cut 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 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’s not okay to kill wasps within the majority of circumstances.
Discovering a solution to transfer them corresponding to you’ll do with a honeybee colony present in your storage is a a lot better method 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 additionally it is 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 on the subject of eliminating wasp nests!
Threat of A number of Stings
When you’ve realized that killing the wasps is just not superb, 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, for those who’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.
In contrast to honeybees, which solely sting you as soon as, a single wasp can inflict a number of stings straight away.
This could occur by means of 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 actually misplaced depend. This house treatment for wasp stings is my go-to remedy to keep away from swelling and a potential allergic response.
After all, now that I’ve a honey-producing yard beehive, I can placed on my beekeeper swimsuit for such a process. That looks like overkill, at the very least to me although!
Wasps Rapidly Rebuild Close by
One other drawback with the “knock down the nest” technique is that the wasps can rapidly 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 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 simple technique 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 method is what I name the “brown paper bag” technique 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 fairly 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 Technique
All it’s essential 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 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 prevailing nest, there may be little threat of getting stung. I counsel hanging it throughout instances of low nest exercise corresponding to early morning or nightfall.
In the event 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.
Sorts of Wasps Affected
This technique 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 method additionally works for northern paper wasps that construct sturdier nests with the larvae cells fully enclosed.
Notice that this technique is ineffective for solitary wasps that construct particular person nests corresponding to thread-waisted wasps.
Directions
Merely form a brown paper bag along with your arms 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 far away can take wherever from a number of days to a few weeks.
Climate Impacts Effectiveness
The one problem to the effectiveness of this technique is the climate.
If it rains, then the brown paper bag turns into a soggy mess and falls down. So, make sure you gauge when you’ll have a dry spell of at the very least 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.
The 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 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 obvious 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!
(1) Is it Okay to Kill Wasps?
(2) What to Know About Wasp Nests
