In summer you can find a wasp’s nest not only in the country house, but also on the balcony of the apartment.
The proximity to these insects is not always pleasant - they buzz and can sting. You can remove a wasp nest yourself using proven products and special preparations.
We’ll tell you in this article how to properly and, most importantly, safely remove a wasp’s nest.
How to find insect habitats?
Getting rid of a wasp nest is quite difficult. First you need to determine where they live. Insects, as a rule, prefer hard-to-reach and protected places.
If you cannot find the nest right away, you will have to use the bait method. The process is organized as follows:
- Place pieces of meat in an open place outside.
- Wait for the wasps to fly.
- Watch where the wasps fly after they eat.
After finding the place of residence of the wasps, you can proceed to choosing a method of influence.
The choice of approach should take into account 2 main factors:
- the size of the insect's home - small or large;
- location.
What attracts wasps to the area
The wasp is a very unpleasant neighbor. Its bite not only brings severe pain, but also provokes the development of an allergic reaction. To prevent its appearance in the country house or in the house, you should constantly monitor its condition. Keep in mind that the following may attract unwanted neighbors to your territory:
- Shelter. Single individuals always look for shelter after mating or hibernation. They need a safe place to lay their eggs. They also need to find their “master,” most often a spider, in order to steal food from it. Mud species require a vertical surface that is protected from external factors. There they can build a nest. Most often they settle on tree branches, near eaves, roofs, attics and verandas.
- Food and water. A wasp, like any other animal, needs food and water. It can eat spiders and their larvae, so if such insects are present, it may attract dangerous guests. The wasp can obtain food from flowers by consuming their nectar or by eating aphids. She also needs water, which she can get not only in ponds or containers, but also in pets’ bowls.
Fighting methods
To destroy a wasp nest, it is recommended to choose the dark time of day, when insect activity is reduced.
Fire
Burning the nest is an effective and simple way to deal with wasp problems. The disadvantage of this method is the high probability of a fire. Because of this, the method is not suitable for processing technical and residential buildings.
Procedure:
- Using flammable liquid, pour over the entire surface of the nest.
- Set it on fire.
- Wait until the combustion ends, making sure that the fire does not spread.
In order to cause maximum damage to the nest, the flame must be intense, otherwise the wasps will be able to fly away.
Water
Water will help remove the nest in places where fire cannot be used. This treatment option is applicable even for wooden buildings, and when the location of the wasps is under the roof.
Procedure:
- collect water in a bucket;
- try to press the bucket against the ceiling so that the nest itself is completely submerged in water;
- support the bucket so that it remains fixed in the required position;
- leave the bucket for a day.
In order for the method to work, there should be no free gap for insects to fly out.
Specialty chemistry
To eliminate wasps, special poisonous agents - insecticides - can be used. The use of chemicals makes it possible to destroy wasps even in difficult to reach places.
Several approaches to solving the problem are possible : the use of solutions that are prepared by diluting the concentrate in water, the use of sprays. The goal is to intensively influence the hive in such a way that the wasp family would be destroyed.
Instructions for use may differ for different drugs.
Dr.Klaus against flies, wasps
The aerosol is designed to kill mosquitoes, wasps, flies and hornets.
The drug is suitable for processing:
- terraces
- spaces under the roof,
- foundation, etc.
The product is highly effective for spot treatment of insect clusters and nests. Thanks to the convenient aerosol form, the product can be applied even to hard-to-reach places indoors and outdoors. An additional plus is the absence of odor.
The length of the aerosol jet is up to 300 cm, which allows processing even from a considerable distance. Exposure time is a quarter of an hour. Price – about 300 rubles. Read reviews here, here and here.
Dichlorvos Varan
The product is available in aerosol form. The drug will destroy a large number of varieties of insects indoors and is suitable for treating wasp nests. Dichlorvos is odorless. The average price is up to 100 rubles.
Mosquitall
The drug is intended to combat hornets, wasps and their nests. The aerosol is suitable for use outdoors or in non-residential premises, for example:
- in garden buildings,
- in the attics,
- on verandas, etc.
An insecticide is a two-component product that produces a dense vapor that literally envelops the nest and penetrates all its parts. Range – 600 cm. Cost – about 300 rubles on average. Read reviews here and here.
Folk remedies
To eliminate a wasp nest, not only special means can be used, but also folk remedies, which are not difficult to prepare.
It is convenient to make a soap solution based on dishwashing gel or liquid soap. The action of the product is based on the adhesive ability of soap, which, when it gets on the wings of an insect, interferes with their free movement, which ultimately leads to the death of the wasp.
Preparation and use:
- Make a soap solution of 1 part dish soap and 4 parts water.
- Stir.
- Pour the liquid into a container with a spray bottle.
- Treat the wasp nest from all sides for 15-20 seconds.
- Repeat the procedure again after 4-6 hours.
Repeat the treatment several more times at the same interval until all wasps are completely destroyed.
Another way to get rid of wasps is to use kerosene or gasoline. Wasps do not tolerate the smell of petroleum products. If you pour such a liquid on a nest, the insects will leave it.
Just like the smell of kerosene, wasps do not like smoke . But fumigation can only be used outside buildings and this option is contraindicated for closed buildings.
The video will show you how to remove a wasp nest using gasoline:
Dummy
A non-standard, and at the same time completely safe way to get rid of wasps is to purchase a reliably made fake wasp nest.
This design is purchased in specialized stores and visually looks very similar to a functioning hive. If you hang a dummy next to a real nest, the wasps will leave it, since they do not tolerate proximity to other insects of the same species.
The use of a dummy can be recommended for those who do not want the wasps to die.
Vacuum cleaner
To eliminate a swarm, not any vacuum cleaner can be used, but only a washing one. For treatment, soapy water is poured into the reservoir on the body.
Procedure:
- The free end of the vacuum cleaner hose must be brought to the hole in the socket.
- Turn on the device.
Soapy water getting inside will lead to the death of the swarm. Once the nest has been treated, it is important to ensure that all wasps have died before removing it.
Traps
In cases where the location of the nest does not allow for on-site treatment, special traps can be used. The disadvantage of this method is that it will take a lot of time to catch all the wasps.
Procedure:
- prepare an empty 1.5-2 liter plastic bottle;
- cut the bottle in half crosswise;
- pour 1/3 sugar syrup or beer into the bottom half of the bottle (which has a bottom);
- turn the top half of the bottle upside down and insert it inside the container with bait;
- install a prepared trap in the place where wasps live;
- As the bottle fills with wasps, it must be cleaned and the bait replaced with a new one.
The cut bottle design allows wasps to get in to the bait, but prevents them from getting out.
The video will show you how to make a wasp trap from a plastic bottle:
Preventive measures
In order not to have any problems with wasps, you need to do everything possible to prevent their appearance in the country. Preventive measures will help to do this. These include the following recommendations:
- Keep your area clean. Always keep trash cans closed and do not create any dumping sites.
- It is prohibited to leave any food items outdoors. Also try to cover pet food bowls.
- Flowers are something that attracts a large number of dangerous neighbors. For this reason, it is recommended to treat all flower beds with special pesticides. However, keep in mind that these substances can be dangerous to the human body and pets.
- To prevent the construction of nests in cavities of the house or other structures, watch for cracks on the surface and eliminate them in a timely manner.
- Try not to plant plants that have a strong odor. They attract pests.
Features of removal under the roof of a house, barn, balcony
Removing wasp nests under the roof is fraught with difficulties due to the inconvenient location and the inability to use fire.
You can use the following options:
- method with immersing the nest in water;
- use of insecticides;
- cleaning with a vacuum cleaner.
It is important to prepare all the necessary tools in advance and make sure that they are suitable for the task at hand. For example, the ladder must be of sufficient height, the vacuum cleaner hose must reach the hive, etc.
If the socket is not available
The most difficult thing to destroy is a nest that is located in a place where it cannot be reached, for example, under the siding of a house, in a crack in a wall or floor, in the voids between the roof.
Even the use of insecticides in this case will be ineffective, since to destroy the nest you need to apply the composition directly to the surface of the nest.
Specialized services will also not help you, of course, unless you agree to break the wall or roof. In this case, you need to methodically leave tasty baits for the wasps, generously sprinkled with poison against the Colorado potato beetle.
They will eat it and carry pieces of food to the nest, thereby poisoning their relatives. Some people also use boric acid, but its effectiveness is less high. This way you can reduce the population. And at the end of the season - later in the fall, you need to carefully seal all the cracks and places that can serve as passages for wasps. After all, they will definitely move into an undestroyed nest next year. We do not recommend using polyurethane foam - wasps can easily make holes in it.
Precautionary measures
Removal of a wasp nest must be carried out in compliance with the following precautions:
- Protective (thick) clothing is required.
- Gloves will be required.
- To protect your eyes - glasses.
- Covering your face is a must.
A pesticide spray for treating protective clothing is a product that will enhance protection. Even if you are not allergic to wasp stings, you need to be on the safe side .
It is also important to consider where exactly the nest is located, and how safe it will be to use certain methods of influence. It is especially important to choose elimination methods for nests located on housing and wooden buildings.
Before using chemicals, you must study the instructions for the specific drug, including the safety precautions.
Professional insecticides
The preparations are used in special cases for spraying the walls of a house in a summer cottage, garden plot, country house, and outbuildings outside. The concentrates are extremely toxic and retain their properties for up to 20 days in the absence of heavy rains. The maximum effect lasts 2 hours. Spray the walls, window sills, porch, balcony.
Professional insecticides for wasps
Important!
The solution is prepared immediately before use. Dilute the drug in cold water according to the instructions. During work, you need to use a respirator, rubber gloves, and a protective suit. If the poison gets into the respiratory tract, it can cause poisoning of varying degrees of severity.
The concentrated solution is also used for spraying the nest, pouring it into cracks in the floor or wall. Odorless drugs are added to the bait - Delta Zone, Lambda Zone. Products are purchased in specialized stores and ordered online. Cost from 300 rub. for a small bottle.
Effective means:
- Executioner;
- Tetrix;
- Get;
- Sinuzan;
- Cucaracha;
- Diazinon.
The products are harmful to all insects. In addition to flies, horseflies, wasps, and hornets, beneficial creatures are also killed. Application must be justified.
How to prevent the appearance?
Eliminating an established wasp colony is very difficult. To prevent this problem from occurring again, you need to remember the following preventive measures:
- Starting in spring, it is necessary to inspect the places that wasps like to use for nesting - balconies, gazebos in the garden, sheds, a place under the roof of a residential building, etc.
- Unused building materials and debris remaining after repair work must be removed, since such places are often favored by wasps.
- If there are gaps in the cladding of a balcony or outbuildings, they need to be sealed.
- Food waste should be disposed of in containers with a lid.
- Fruits that fall in the garden should be removed promptly. Otherwise, they will serve as food for wasps and help attract them.
The best remedy for wasps and hornets is prevention
Nests of stinging insects do not form at lightning speed. This is a rather lengthy process that takes several months. It all begins in early spring, when the queen wasp awakens from sleep and chooses a place for a nest, where she arranges a small structure for the first brood of worker wasps. Then, throughout the spring and summer, active construction is underway in order to expand the “living space”. The last brood is born at the end of summer, i.e. The wasp kingdom reaches its apogee around August-September.
Given all this, the ideal time to destroy a wasp colony is spring. At this time, you should especially carefully inspect all dark and rarely visited rooms. This will allow construction activity at a very early stage.
Prevention also doesn't hurt. It comes down to following the following recommendations.
- Eliminate gaps. Seal any cracks that could allow insects to get under your home's roof or behind the siding.
- Don't get carried away with covering walls, floors and ceilings. By trying to improve your home, you yourself can create ideal conditions for the life of wasps. We are talking about covering the floor with boards (while maintaining an air cushion between them) or the popular finishing of the ceiling or walls with siding.
- Use trash cans with tight-fitting lids. Wasps and hornets are attracted to the smell of old food. Therefore, make sure that waste containers are tightly closed. Also, do not forget to periodically wash the tanks with water and a disinfectant solution.
- Remove fallen tree fruits regularly. Fruit trees are a particular risk factor. After all, wasps are not averse to eating fruit. You can minimize risks if you regularly collect fallen apples, pears, and plums.
Fighting wasps always involves a certain amount of risk. But if you leave the nest where you and your loved ones regularly visit, the danger will be even greater. May your war against stinging insects be successful and lightning fast. But if you doubt your abilities, it is better to seek help from professionals.
Recommendations
For effective processing, the following points should be taken into account:
- Mechanical methods of destruction are among the most effective.
- Using protective equipment will help you avoid wasp bites.
- Knowing the exact location of the nest is necessary for the highest quality processing.
The use of any of the methods is possible only under strict control of the situation. This is especially important when using the fire burning method.- The situation with wasps can get out of control and even become dangerous if it is not dealt with in time.
In a colony there can be not only hundreds, but thousands of individuals that can cause serious harm and pose a danger (spreading diseases, spoiling tree fruits, a high probability of attacking humans). - With the onset of cold weather, the wasp's nest becomes empty, and it can be safely removed and thrown away.
- You should not let your guard down when dealing with even dead wasps, as their sting can still pose a threat to humans.
- After the wasp nest has been removed, the area in which it was located must be treated with pesticides to prevent the wasps from returning in the future.
You cannot simply knock down an active wasp nest with a stick, as the angry insects will rush to attack and begin to sting.
Repellent
The destruction of wasps in a dacha does not always involve exterminating them; you can scare away a family and force them to move. The location of the nest in the depths of the garden, at the end of the vegetable garden, does not require emergency action; their presence on the site does more good than harm. To do this, you need to know what to be afraid of wasps.
On a note!
Wasps destroy a huge colony of agricultural pests by feeding them to their larvae. They ensure thorough pollination of crops, which significantly increases productivity.
You can get rid of wild wasps in your area with a strong odor. The nest is watered with flammable substances - kerosene, gasoline, machine oil. Or lay out a soaked rag nearby. Insects do not like the smell of herring; they throw the head of a fish at them.
Bunches of peppermint, wild rosemary, and elderberry are hung in the attic of the dacha. A decoction of these herbs is periodically wiped across window sills, window frames, and doorways.
The dangers of a wasp neighborhood
The proximity of a wasp hive to housing is fraught with a number of dangers. First of all, there is the risk of being stung, which can be fatal for people with an acute allergic reaction. But even in the absence of allergies, those stung will experience unpleasant sensations - pain, itching, burning, swelling and redness. In addition, wasps can act as carriers of infectious diseases, so it is unwise to tolerate such a neighborhood.
Before taking radical measures and choosing a method of fighting insects, you need to get to know them better, study their habits and behavior patterns. Determining the type of pest can help with this.
The most common type of insect is paper wasps. They are distinguished by their large size, yellow-black color and aggressiveness.
In the vast expanses of our country, paper wasps are found predominantly. The insects have a yellow body with black stripes and long legs, and build large paper nests with easily visible honeycombs. They arrange their housing in inaccessible and well-protected places - on eaves, under the roof of a barn or garage, where it is not visible. Wasps rarely attack first and only sting when threatened. However, the bite of such an insect is painful and can be dangerous.
Safety precautions when getting rid of pests
Wasps are aggressive insects that can regard any gesture as a danger to life. The nest is guarded by scouts and guards, and in case of danger they transmit a signal to others. When an insect dies, a special substance is released, which its relatives catch and rush to attack en masse. You need to remember all this when going on an operation to destroy a nest or wasp family.
- The work should be done in the evening, when insect activity has decreased. In the dark, they have difficulty oriented in space. But everything needs to be done as accurately as possible, since they hear the smell very well. They will rush to attack blindly.
- When performing pest control operations, you should not make sudden movements; all actions must be thought out in advance, and the necessary materials must be prepared. If one insect bites, you cannot kill it, because a whole swarm will fly out.
- When using an insecticide, you should remember that it will take a few minutes to take effect; spraying inside the nest can only anger the swarm. Therefore, it is advisable to use the product outside or use a plastic bag. It pounces on the nest and quickly ties it, blocking the exit.
If a swarm of wasps accidentally flew into your dacha, you need to get rid of the invasion, use smoke bombs, set fire to rubber, and build a fire. If the insects do not threaten to bite, you can leave them alone; after a while they will fly away on their own.