Dealing with Wasp or Hornet Nests

Nobody likes seeing wasp or hornet nests popping up around their homes, but it’s a common occurrence that must be dealt with. For the most part, nests aren’t too much of a problem because they are located out in the yard or in trees around your property, but they become a real issue when they are built into your home, your deck, your vehicle or in other compromising locations. When that happens, you want to get rid of them as soon as possible, and here’s a simple overview of how to do it.

Wear Protective Clothing

Don’t make the mistake of dealing with a bee’s nest in a t-shirt and shorts. Instead, you need heavy clothing that is going to prevent them from stinging you. For most standard nests, you can probably treat them in jeans and other heavy clothing, but when you are dealing with a problem in a closed area, or you have a particularly nasty infestation, you’ll want a beekeeping suit instead. This will allow you to deal with the problem without being stung, and it will protect your head while you apply chemicals.

Always Have an Escape Route

The last thing that you want to happen is to be stuck in an attic, up on a ladder or in any other compromised position while you are dealing with a nest. Even with plenty of protective clothing on, make sure that you have a method of escape if you are destroying a nest. That way, when you run into trouble you can quickly run away and protect yourself.

Rely on Chemical Treatments

While sprays and other wasp killing tools will help you take care of the pests that you see out in the open, they do nothing about the population living down in the location still. It’s up to you to use a different tool to handle these guys, and the best tool for the job is a chemical poison. There are several different insecticides that are used to treat wasps and hornets, but most of the best ones come in a powder form.

Wait until it is nighttime and the insects are back in their nest. Now very carefully apply the poison to the entrance of the nest, getting it into the nest as far as possible. Be careful when you do this and get away from the location as soon as you can after making the application. Over the next day or two the nest should begin to die off if you put the right chemicals in the right location.

Keep in mind that trying to remove any hornet or wasp nest is a dangerous job, and it could even be deadly if something goes wrong. If you aren’t sure about the task at hand, or you want to be safe, hire a pest professional to take out the wasps for you instead. You’ll save time, you’ll avoid some nasty stings and you’ll still get the little buggers removed from your home.