How To Remove A Wasp Nest

When the weather warms up here in Southeast Florida, the common stinging pests start building their nests. Unfortunately, parts of our homes make perfect places for them to call home and they always seem to setup shop in the most inconvenient places. Dry areas under awnings, patio furniture, eaves, and tree branches are all perfectly suited for wasps, yellow jackets, and hornets to call home. Once a nest is built, how do you get rid of it?

If you are allergic to stinging insects, or are even unsure if you are, contact a professional immediately. Never attempt to remove a nest on your own.

Call A Wasp Removal Professional

By far the best and safest way for removing a wasp nest is to contact Alpine Farms, your local wasp removal professionals. No matter the size of the nest or the location, we have an experienced team of pest control technicians standing by to help.

Since 1995, we have been helping Southeast Florida with their stinging insect problems.

Wasp Sprays and Foams

We’ve all had experience using over the counter sprays and foams. They can get messy! Not to mention, you have to be careful with what you’re spraying and where. They can affect plants, paints, and soak into woods. Stinging insects do not take kindly to any kind of threat and will aggressively defend their nest against attackers.

There are many different types of sprays and foams on the market. Some shoot up to twenty feet, putting a somewhat safe distance between you and the target. Other foam-based products are meant to coat the entire nest with a thick foam, trapping them inside.

Both products have their upsides and downsides, but they also have one thing in common…they’re dangerous.

Wasp Nest Removal Tips

First, make sure that you know what type of stinging insect you’re dealing with. A colony may look small from the outside, with only a couple of individuals coming and going, but you never know just how many wasps the colony consists of. This is why we can’t emphasize hiring a professional enough.

1. Always keep a safe distance and have an exit strategy. You’re going to make some stinging bugs very angry.
2. Wear protective clothing.
3. Try to eradicate the nest in the evening. This is when most of the individuals are back after hunting for the day and they are more docile at dark. (don’t use flashlights, this alerts the insects).
4. Make sure children, pets, and neighbors are inside.
5. Spray the nest thoroughly with your preferred pest control product.
6. Let the colony fully expire and wait until the next day to remove the nest from its location. Individuals may have escaped or have not yet returned to the nest.
7. The next day, wrap an old grocery bag or garbage bag around your hand, reach up to grab the nest, and pull the bag over the colony, tying it and disposing of it properly.

If the nest is in a hard to reach place, you should never attempt to remove it by yourself. This can easily become a hazardous situation. Just image, you’re on a ladder, leaning against a gutter, you hit the nest but not all of the individuals. That’s a sticky situation.

How Not To Remove A Wasp Nest

Never set a wasp nest on fire. This might seem like common sense, but you’d be surprised at how many people think this is a good idea. It’s dangerous for you and of course, your property. From gasoline to aerosol sprays with lighters, killing a wasp nest yourself isn’t worth burning down your house.

Never spray them with a hose. Water will not kill the nest and will only make them angry, looking to attack anything nearby. Sure, water may seem like a safer alternative to spraying chemicals, but it’s almost equally as dangerous.

When you try to remove a nest, you’re not only putting yourself at risk. You are creating a hazardous situation for your family, neighbors, and pets.

If you have a stinging insect at your home or business, contact Alpine Farms today for a prompt and professional wasp removal solution.