How To Get Rid Of Wasps Safely

Meet the Pest

Removing wasps may seem easy, but knowing how to get rid of wasps safely can actually be very difficult. Wasps are more treacherous than bees because they do not have a barb on the end of their stinger making them able to sting a person repeatedly. These stings are painful but if you are allergic to wasps, then even one sting can be dangerous and several can be deadly. If you are not certain how you will react to a wasp sting, then a trip to the doctor or calling in a pest control service may be necessary. Before you take on the wasps in your yard, make sure you arm yourself with the right protection and information; then you will know how to get rid of wasps risk-free.

Bed and Breakfast

Social wasps, as opposed to solitary wasps, are the variety that most people want to remove. They live in colonies inside of nests and can be quite aggressive. Obviously, if you want to know how to kill wasps, you have to find their source, and this could prove to be difficult. Wasps will make nests out of mud, wood, and even paper. Depending on the specie of wasp invading your yard, you might find hives located in trees, tucked inside the soffits of your home, or even hidden underground in an old snake burrow. Since wasps tend to be most active around dusk and dawn that would be the easiest time to spot the location of their living space.

Quit Bugging Me!

You have probably been given a lot of advice on how to get rid of wasps, and likely none of it is very good. Do-it-yourself pest control, like wasp removal, should be approached carefully and with proper preparation. In this article we will discuss the use of chemicals to achieve wasp extermination. If you want to know how to get rid of wasps organically, there are certainly some promising products for you to look into. Traps are another option, especially useful if you are having difficulty locating the wasps' nest. For more information on these and other wasp control items look for our article titled What to Look for in Wasp Control Products. Once you have located the nest or nests, you can begin the extermination process. Simply follow these basic steps for safe nest removal.

1. Wait for evening when most of the wasps are likely to be inside the nest.
2. Wear protective clothing like long sleeves, pants, gloves, and even goggles.
3. Stand near, but not under, the nest and spray it with a wasp control product. Raid and Ortho are two well known brands and are readily available in most department stores. If you are performing do-it-yourself pest control on an underground wasp nest, then a foam product will work better than a spray and be safer for you as well.
4. Wait 24 hours, or the amount of time suggested by the wasp control product, before attempting to remove the nest. Keep children and pets away during this time.
5. Return to the site of the nest, again wearing protective clothing.
6. If you still witness wasp activity repeat the steps listed above. If you believe the colony has been successfully exterminated, then proceed to the final step in this process.
7. Use a long stick or broom to knock down the nest and dispose of it in the trash. If you want to know how to kill wasps that may still be buzzing around inside, carefully place the nest in a bucket of soapy water.

Good Riddance

Learning how to get rid of wasps is a feasible do-it-yourself pest control project, but something that should be approached wisely. Folk remedies like gasoline and setting fire to a nest are dangerous and unnecessary. Proper safety precautions and patience are all that is really needed to achieve wasp extermination. If you have a very large nest or find several nest locations on your property, do not hesitate to call in a professional pest control service. With wasps it is always better to be safe than sorry.