Have you discovered a wasp nest, outside the house or somewhere in the garden? This poses a risk to people, especially children and pets. We give you advice so you know how to remove the wasp nest avoiding the risk of being stung. Removing the hornet's nest is the best way to eliminate wasps.
Wasps are especially annoying insects because their sting is especially painful and can be fatal in people with allergies. To avoid these risks, it is best to remove the wasp nest. You can use insecticides or burn it, but to do it safely, it's best to follow these homemade tips and tricks:
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Differences between wasps and bees
It is very important that you know how to differentiate a wasp from a bee, since the latter are protected and you should not delete them. If what you have is a honeycomb and not a wasp nest, you should call 012 so they can send you a beekeeper who will take care of them at no cost to you. You will be doing environmental good, since bees are very important for the pollination of all the fruits and vegetables we eat.
This is a bee and this is a wasp
Methods to eliminate wasps
There are several methods to remove a wasp nest. The safest option is, of course, to call a pest control professional. But if we decide to do it on our own, we can use:
- Smoke to scare away wasps
- Insecticide to eliminate wasps
- Wasp trap
- Cut the nest
- Wall the nest
- Use a vacuum cleaner
- Water and bags
Tips for removing a wasp nest
There are a series of details that should be known to carry out the task more safely:
- Do it in the evening – Wasps are less active at dusk, they gather in the nest and barely fly until the next day. The darker the better, so it is inadvisable to use LED flashlights or bright light.
- Protect yourself well – Wearing gloves for gardening work, long-sleeved clothing and tucking your pants into your socks, as well as covering your neck and neck well, will prevent more than one bite.
- Have an escape route – Since everything can fail, you have to have a plan B, a free exit in case things get ugly. There are people allergic to wasp stings and the consequences can be lethal.
- Dead they are dangerous – It's not that they are dead, but it may seem that way, and yet, their defensive instinct makes them sting even in that extreme state.
- Don't use stairs – It's a bad idea to use a ladder if you have to deal with a swarm of angry wasps. A fall accident is much more serious than a sting.
- Keep children and pets away – They can be victims of angry wasps.
The wasp sting
Wasps have a sting with which they sting when they feel threatened. Unlike bees, wasps do not lose their sting after being stung. Its bite is very painful, producing swelling (swelling) and redness of the skin that lasts between 12 and 24 hours, while the pain can last up to two days. Between 5 and 15% of the population is allergic to the sting of wasps and bees and must be treated because if they suffer several stings the consequences can be serious.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Trucos.com is not responsible for any damage you may suffer trying to eliminate a wasp nest by following these tips. The ideal is to hire an expert.
Remove the hornet's nest with smoke
This practice can only be done in the abroad, because in a closed place we could poison ourselves. Again, you have to go at night, well protected and with a planned escape route.
You can make a torch with newspaper and some people also grease the tip with used motor oil. In this way you get a black smoke and thick that quickly drives them away. Simply turn it on and bring it closer to the wasp nest until all the wasps leave the place. Once this is done, crush the empty nest or cut it to physically eliminate it. This method is the most recommended and is good for nature, since wasps are living beings that fulfill a function in the food chain and there is no need to kill them.
Eliminate wasps with insecticide
There are specific insecticides for wasps, they are not cheap but they are very effective. In addition, some have a cannula that allows you to launch the insecticide up to 4 meters away (you have to be careful not to throw it too close as it can bounce back).
If you use the insecticide, do it at night, well protected and with an exit in case things don't go well. Just spray the nest and the wasps will fall almost instantly, as it is a specific chemical formulation for them. When we are sure that there is no longer any activity, we must physically remove the nest, either by cutting it or by crushing it with our own gloves. Otherwise some will be installed again.
Eliminate wasps with insecticide powder
When the wasp nest is in places that cannot be accessed, such as under an exterior wooden decking such as those used in swimming pools or terraces, the best alternative is insecticide powder.
The method of use is very simple and, again, it must be done in the late afternoon hours, when the wasps are less active. Simply sprinkle the area where they enter and exit and, if possible, try to get the powdered insecticide into the gaps in the wood so that it is closer to the nest.
Trap to eliminate wasps
Wasps are insects with very powerful sensory capabilities. Their sense of smell guides them to prey that is long distances away. Wasp traps take advantage of their sense of smell to guide them towards a Mortal trap.
The most modern ones use ultraviolet light to become a powerful focus of attraction for wasps that fall on them, fooled by the light and the sweet smell. Some use a photovoltaic panel to power the ultraviolet LED, so they do not require any maintenance.
Preparing them is extremely easy, just add a little sugar water or beer and hang them where we see that wasps frequent the area.
Cut out the wasp nest
The title is perfectly self-descriptive. In the past, in the absence of insecticides, what was done and there are still those who do, was to put a pot of water to boil. When it boiled well, it was taken to the place where the nest was. One person would stand underneath with the pot, calculating the trajectory of the nest's fall while the other, with long pruning shears or something similar, cut the nest, since these are usually grabbed by a single branch-like extension. Once they fall into the boiling water, quickly cover the pot and wait for them all to die before looking inside.
It must be done at dusk, protected and, more than ever, with a clear exit route, because an error in calculating the fall of the nest will lead to a swarm of very angry wasps.
Wall up the hornet's nest
This method is necessary when we do not have access to the nest, because it is inside a cavity such as a double wall or a tube or some recess, such as blind boxes.
We observe the place where the wasps enter and exit and prepare some type of mortar, either with quick cement or plaster. When night falls, well protected and with the pasta prepared, we give it a few shovels so that, once it dries, they can't get out.
We can use less aggressive methods to cover the entrances and exits, such as tightly pressed cloth or paper, with the aim of being able to remove it once the wasp colony disappears.
Use a vacuum cleaner to remove wasps
With this method, we will vacuum up the wasps to destroy the wasp nest. The first thing is to fill the dust container of the vacuum cleaner with two or three centimeters of liquid soap. In this way, when the wasps are inhaled and come into contact with the soap, they will die and we will reduce the risk of being stung. It is necessary to use a bagless vacuum cleaner.
We will use the suction tube of the vacuum cleaner to suck the wasps from the opening of the nest. You have to be patient and make sure that all the insects inside are vacuumed up, which can take several minutes or an hour (until the ones that were outside the nest return).
When the nest is empty, turn off the vacuum cleaner and cover the tube with a cloth or towel. Before opening the vacuum cleaner to empty the dead wasps, make sure there is no movement.
Water and bags to eliminate wasps
This is a risky and difficult method. You have to be very skilled and dress in appropriate clothing to avoid being bitten. You have to take a cloth bag and put the nest in it. Close it at the top and tear off the nest and then throw the bag with the wasp nest inside into a bucket of water. We put a rock on top to ensure it doesn't float and the wasps drown. The next day we will be able to act without risk since all the wasps will be dead.
It may interest you:
- How to prevent wasps from creating a nest in the same place again
- How to scare away wasps from your house
- How to remove an anthill
- How to prevent flies from entering the house
As a curiosity, look what happens when you try to remove a giant hornet's nest:
Also watch this curious video about the work of millions of soldier ants to attack a wasp nest:
