Wasps can turn aggressive within seconds when disturbed, which is why removing a nest is both risky and challenging.
Maryland has many types of stinging insects, but paper wasps and yellow jackets are especially quick to defend their colonies, making encounters dangerous.
If you spot a wasp nest near your Maryland property, you’ll need to decide how to handle it, whether that means hiring a professional or preparing the right protective gear yourself.
Knowing the proper steps will help you stay safe and lower the chances of being stung when tackling a nest.
Identifying Wasp Nests
Wasp nests usually start small, about the size of a golf ball, because the queen is just beginning to build with limited resources.
They can quickly grow much larger if ignored, since worker wasps continuously add material and expand the structure throughout the summer.
Wasps create their nests by chewing wood into pulp, which is why the outside looks thin and papery and can be easily recognized once you know the texture.
Most nests are found under roof eaves, in wall cavities, or inside garages, because these areas offer shelter and protection from the weather.
During the day, you can confirm activity by watching wasps fly in and out of the hole at the bottom, which shows the colony is active and growing.
The Behavior and Life Cycle of Wasps
While wasps will not typically sting unless provoked, what makes them particularly dangerous is that they will often sting more than once.
You may notice that wasps are most active in the middle of the day, when it’s warmest outside, and they will typically return to their nests at night.
When it comes to the life cycle of wasps, there are four main stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. The lifespan of a wasp depends on its role. For instance, queen wasps can survive for as long as 12 months, while worker wasps may only live as long as 22 days.
Understanding the life cycle of wasps can help you create a targeted treatment plan to get rid of wasps and their nests once and for all.
Safety Precautions and Protective Gear
When coming into contact with wasps and wasp nests, it’s imperative to suit up and protect yourself from their stingers. If you do not have access to a proper bee suit, you should, at the very least, wear long sleeves, pants, socks, closed-toe shoes, protective glasses, and gloves.
If your sleeves or the legs of your pants are wide at the ends, you may want to secure them with rubber bands to prevent any wasps from flying into your clothing and stinging you.
DIY Wasp Nest Removal Methods
If you resolve to remove a wasp nest by yourself, here are some tips to do so successfully without being stung.
- Homemade Repellents – Wasps are known to dislike certain smells, including lemongrass, geranium, and clove, so using these scents in essential oil form can be effective in keeping wasps at bay. To try this method, add a few drops of essential oil to a spray bottle and dilute it with water before spraying the solution around your home and garden. While this method isn’t foolproof, it is worth a try when dealing with pesky wasps!
- Wasp Traps and Deterrents – DIY wasp traps can also be effective for keeping wasps away from your property. One of the most commonly used methods involves using an empty soda bottle and placing something sweet inside, such as jam or fruit juice. Using a utility knife or something equally as sharp, cut a small hole in the bottle to allow the wasps to enter. Monitor your trap over the course of a few days to assess if it seems to be working, and safely dispose of it after you’re done using it.
How to Remove a Wasp’s Nest Without Getting Stung
If traps and deterrents don’t work, you may have to go and physically remove the nest yourself. While we strongly caution against removing a wasp nest by yourself, these are the steps you should take to reduce your risk of being stung:
- Step 1: Put on protective clothing: long sleeves, pants tucked into socks, gloves, goggles, and a hat or hood.
- Step 2: Wait until evening or early morning when wasps are less active.
- Step 3: Stand a safe distance away and use a wasp and hornet aerosol with a long-range spray. Aim at the nest entrance and fully saturate the nest.
- Step 4: Back away immediately and leave the nest overnight.
- Step 5: The next day, check for activity. If no wasps are flying in or out, carefully knock down the nest with a long stick or scraper.
- Step 6: Place the nest in a sealed trash bag and dispose of it outside.
Be advised that even if you follow these steps, you still risk getting stung or attacked by an entire colony of wasps.
Does the Gasoline Trick for Wasp Removal Work?
Maryland residents should not attempt the viral gasoline trick to remove wasp nests for a number of reasons:
- Application is Difficult and Not Guaranteed: This trick relies on trapping a wasp nest with a container full of gasoline. However, if you leave any room for wasps to escape or if it does not conform to the proper surface, you risk getting stung.
- Gasoline Is Highly Flammable and Dangerous: Obviously, the biggest risk with doing this DIY trick is that you end up damaging your home, inhaling dangerous fumes, or even lighting something on fire.
Overall, there are better products and solutions available for Maryland residents that are more highly effective in eliminating wasps and their nests.
Professional Wasp Nest Removal
When it comes to removing a wasp nest, it is always best to leave it to an experienced professional. A professional pest control expert will be able to assess the level of infestation around your home and devise a plan of action to remove the nest without putting you or your family in danger.
An exterminator will also be able to implement actions to ensure the wasps don’t return, giving you peace of mind that they are gone for good.
Preventative Wasp Control
While there is no way to guarantee that a wasp will never come near your home again, there are certain preventative measures you can take to reduce the chances of another infestation.
Wasps are particularly attracted to the smell of garbage, so keeping your outdoor garbage cans sealed and away from your home can be effective in keeping these stinging insects away. They are also known to dislike the smell of certain herbs such as peppermint, lemongrass, and basil, so planting these herbs in your garden may also help to keep them away.
Wasps are one of the most dangerous stinging insects, and there is not a whole lot homeowners can do to remove nests or prevent them on their own. Therefore, calling a professional pest control expert is your best bet to deal with an infestation accordingly.
Professionals like Pest Czar offer monthly pest maintenance programs designed to keep wasps and other stinging insects away, as well as emergency, one-time treatments.
FAQs
What are the risks of having wasp nests near my home?
Wasps can sting when provoked and may even cause an allergic reaction in some people. Wasps may also gain entry to your home through any cracks or crevices found near their nest.
And, while wasps are not as destructive as other wood-damaging insects, wasp nests that are left for a long time can also cause wood damage to your home, as the nest could absorb moisture as it grows.
Are homemade wasp repellents effective?
There are certain essential oils that wasps are known to dislike, so it may be worth giving this method a try if you are on a tight budget. Wasps tend to avoid the scent of lemongrass, geranium, and clove, so adding a few drops of these oils to a spray bottle mixed with water can be effective when applied to areas where wasps frequent.
However, the best course of action when dealing with a wasp infestation is to reach out to an experienced pest control professional to safely remove the nest.
Can I use sound or visual deterrents to keep wasps away?
Ultrasonic pest repellers have become popular in recent years as an alternative solution to getting rid of many pests, including wasps. This type of deterrent works by emitting a sound that humans can’t hear but wasps can’t stand.
However, this method is not always effective and may not completely eliminate the problem, so keep this in mind when considering your pest control options.