Dealing With Wasps At Home
If you find you have wasps, dealing with them can be a daunting task. Wasps present several challenges that require careful consideration before just jumping in.
From their aggressive behaviour to the real-world difficulty of locating and removing nests, managing wasp populations requires a decent understanding of their habits and effective control methods to stop them coming back but to be honest, the job of removing wasps nests should be left to the professionals.
Finding The Nest
Locating wasp nests can be difficult, especially because they’re often hidden in obscure or inaccessible places.
Wasps are brilliant at building nests in places where they won’t be disturbed. That includes under eaves, in wall voids, underground, or in trees and bushes, when their nests are hidden in these hard-to-reach areas they essentially become camouflaged.
Furthermore, wasps are naturally territorial and defensive of their nests, making close inspection without proper equipment and knowledge very risky.
So if you find a wasp nest, going in wearing shorts and a t-shirt and armed with a can of wasp spray won’t work and swatting or attempting to remove individual wasps may aggravate the situation and lead to increased aggression from the colony.
A more effective, strategic approach will be needed. Things like bait traps, applying insecticidal dust or sprays directly to the nest are options, alternatively seeking professional pest control assistance can help to control problem wasp populations more efficiently and safely by targeting the source of the infestation and reducing the risk of provoking defensive behaviour from the colony.
Should I Remove The Nest?
The image of an angry swarm and people jumping into rivers to escape is a bit of a cliche, but it’s a valid one.
Disturbing a wasp nest can trigger a defensive response from the colony, leading to a swarm of angry wasps attacking anyone nearby. That means potential painful stings and, in severe cases, allergic reactions.
Stinging aside, some wasp species build nests in challenging locations, such as high up on buildings or within wall voids, making removal more difficult and potentially dangerous, so it’s not just wasps that pose the threat. The height and location of the nest can cause a serious risk.
Proper precautions, such as wearing protective clothing and using appropriate removal techniques, are vital to reduce the risks of any attempted nest removal and to ensure your safety.
And if it’s high up in a tree, definitely call the professionals.
So should you remove the nest? – Wasps play a role in pollination and insect control so if a nest isn’t bothering you consider whether you really need to remove it or kill the wasps inside. Furthermore, wasps don’t reuse old nests, so with any form of wasp nest removal you could instead just be creating space for another queen to set up home.
Aggressive Behaviour
It’s natural to want to seek out a nest and at least identify that you have a problem, but take care. When confronted or threatened, wasps can become highly aggressive and may sting repeatedly, posing a risk to you and to anyone nearby. It can be life threatening to someone with an allergy to stinging insects.
Wasps can sting multiple times and their aggressive nature makes encounters with wasps potentially dangerous.
Proper Safety
Controlling wasps requires careful planning to avoid stings and potential allergic reactions. If you decide to investigate yourself, wear protective clothing, such as long sleeves, trousers, gloves and a bee veil or hat with a netted face shield.
Additionally, using insect repellents or insecticide sprays labelled for wasp control can be useful as a last resort. Naturally, if you or anyone near you is allergic to wasp stings, it’s best to leave the job to a professional.
Final Thoughts
Dealing with wasps requires patience, caution, and careful planning. Wasps are often aggressive in nature, especially when they feel threatened and total removal of the nest might not be the best solution. Managing wasp populations requires careful attention to safety and certain control methods.
Put safety measures first. That means wearing protective clothing and considering the location is safe to reach to minimise the risk of harm to you or anyone nearby.
And consider that if the nest isn’t really doing any harm, maybe just leave it there.
