DIY Wasp Control - 6 Tips to keep them away

Wasps are a real pain in the backside. These critters are a force to be reckoned with during the summer months, and we can safely say that most people don’t want them around.

BC is home to several different wasp species, including Yellowjackets, Bald-faced Hornets, and Paper (Umbrella) Wasps. All of these wasps are capable of stinging and won’t hesitate to defend their nest is threatened. Yellowjackets, in particular, can be quite aggressive and may also sting to defend a food source.

Luckily, there are some steps you can take to keep them away from your home and to reduce the risk of getting stung. In this post we share 6 tips to keep wasps away as well as some DIY tips to get rid of nest.

First, a word of caution:

But before we dive into DIY wasp control, here’s a warning. If you’re one of the 3% of the population that’s allergic to wasp stings, don’t try and get rid of wasps yourself. It’s just not worth the risk when a single sting could be fatal. And if you’re not confident taking wasps on yourself, best to call a professional. At Westside Pest Control, our wasp control technicians can quickly and safely remove wasp nests on your property so that you don’t have to.

Wasps nest under the roof tiles — wasps nest hidden under the roof tiles

How to keep wasps away?

Wasps are a fact of life in the spring and summer. If you are seeing large numbers swarming round your property, there are a few steps you can take to make your home less attractive. With fewer wasps around, that reduces the chances they will build a nest near your home. Here’s some steps you can try:

1. Remove food sources. A wasp’s main food source is other insects that they hunt, but they will happily eat human food too. That includes meat, fruit, and sweet drinks. If eating outside, make sure you clean up right away.
2. Use a tight-fitting lid on your garbage. Household garbage can is an all-you-can-eat buffet to wasps, and to other pests, so make sure they can’t get access.
3. If you have fruit trees on your property, gather up any fallen fruit as soon as possible and dispose of it in a waterproof bin.
4. Don’t leave pet food lying around outside, as this is a great source of protein for wasps. Also, if wasps discover your dog’s food dish, you’re increasing the chances your dog may get stung.
5. Treat bare wood on fences and planters. Wasps love to chew bare wood and use it to make their nests, so an untreated wooden fence can be an attractant for them.
6. Use baited wasp traps, like a Pheromone trap, around your property to catch any foraging wasps. Pheromone traps are a great tool to keep them at bay. You can pick them up for pretty cheap at your local hardware store. We like to use the Rescue! brand. It’s not really a method for getting rid of them, but can provide a bit of peace of mind when sitting out on your patio.

Wasps nest bird house — They could takeover your birdhouse too

Keeping wasps away from your patio?

Wasps want to join the party, but they weren’t invited? Yup, real annoying. Hosting friends or gathering in a park, wasps don’t care about you having a good time.

Short of going full camping style on your patio with a pergola and screen, these are our best patio party tricks that might help keep wasps at bay.

Cover food with mesh netting food cover – If you have shareable plates with nibbles this is a good option.
Try cover beverages with cup covers or reusable straws – This will avoid them crawling inside a can of pop unnoticed.
Get a fan, or a couple of fans – can work very nicely to throw them off, and also blow their scented trails away.
Burning citronella candles, can sometimes be effective to throw them off.
Distraction – Leave a bowl out with some pieces of fruit and meat scraps. Place 20+ feet away.
Full board on Traps – make some homemade ones, or purchase a few more of the pheromone traps from your local hardware store. (the rescue brand – all shown above in the image)
Fake nests – only anecdotal supports claims that it works. There are no studies to support this method effective is. Spend your money on an additional pheromone trap.

Don’t Get Stung

No matter how careful you are with your food, fallen fruit, and pet food, there’s always a strong possibility of encountering a wasp during the summer. Remember, wasps usually only sting if they think you are a threat to them.

Be careful where you step and avoid going barefoot outside.
Pick fruit at night or in the early morning when wasps are less active.
Be careful handling wet towels, since wasps often use these as a source of moisture. Check any towel before you grab it so you don’t grab a wasp.
Don’t swat at wasps when you see them. Instead, either let the wasp fly away by itself or move away at a steady pace.

How To Remove a Wasp’s Nest?

Getting rid of a wasps nest is not as easy as swiping at it with a broom! Or throwing a towel over it. Yellow Jackets, European Paper Wasps, and Hornets nests need to be treated differently.

First you want to know what types of wasps you are dealing with and even better learn how to identify a nest.

If you’re in any doubt at all, call a pro and get a quote for wasp nest removal. Removal of a single nest is relatively inexpensive.

Here are some tips for safely removing a wasp nest.

Proceed with extreme caution. Wasps will absolutely defend their nests by stinging anyone they perceive as attacking it — that means you. And even if you’re not allergic to wasp stings, enough of them at the same time can seriously injure or even kill, so don’t take these creatures lightly.
Locate the nest. Sometimes, wasp nests will be out in the open and easy to spot. Other times, things are more tricky. Yellowjackets in particular are known for entering gaps in houses and building nests inside. If you can’t locate the nest, you won’t be able to treat it effectively.
Don’t trap the wasps inside. If wasps are nesting inside your building and flying out through an entrance hole, resist the temptation to block off the hole. All you’ll do is force the wasps to emerge somewhere else inside your home.
Approach at night. Wasps are active during the day, and return to the nest at night. Approaching in the dark means that wasps will be less active and less likely to sting. You can use a red light to help you see. Wasps can’t see red light like we can.
Protect yourself. Wear long sleeves and pants along with heavy boots and gloves. Use duct tape or rubber bands to seal the bottom of your pants and the cuffs of your sleeves to stop wasps getting inside. You can make a protective hat from any cap with a brim plus some bug screen. Drape the screen loosely over the brim of your hat and secure it around your neck using tape. Also, dress in layers. Wasps can sting through a single layer of clothing.
Have a friend (also wearing protective clothing) help you. If the wasp nest is exposed, one of you can stand beneath the nest holding a sturdy cardboard box. Then, you can cut the stem that supports the nest at the top with a pruning hook or some other long-handled tool. The moment the nest is inside the box, seal it shut. You can then kill the wasps by spraying insecticide into the box or freezing it for 24 hours.
Alternatively, you can spray the nest with a commercially available pesticide that is labeled for use against wasps. Hardware stores carry a variety of different brands. Remember to always carefully read the label of any pesticide and only use it according to the instructions.

The Verdict

Unfortunately, not all wasp nests are exposed. Sometimes, wasps will nest underground in holes in the soil. Other times, they will use small gaps in your home to get inside an attic or basement or a wall void and build a nest there.

In these situations, the best thing to do is call a professional pest control company. Taking on a wasp nest you can’t see requires specialist equipment and training, and isn’t something you’re likely to have much success with by yourself.