   
Because wasps build small nests within wall voids or attics, it is possible for them to get inside your house. If you have witnessed wasps flying in one of these wall voids, there is a chance you have an infestation.
However, continuously seeing several of the same kind of wasps indicates a wasp nest may be nearby. It can be a daunting task setting wasp traps at the site of an infestation. In several areas, you might find a wasp nest hanging from tree branches, gutters, crevices, fences, or bushes.
The Changing Seasons
The springtime brings warmer weather; unfortunately, a new season might also mean an abundance of wasps.
Wasps have slender bodies and yellow stripes, often confused with other insects like hornets. If you notice these dangerous stinging insects, call a professional at once.
How Did Wasps Get Into My House When No Windows Are Open?
Besides an open door or window, there are many ways for wasps to get inside your house. They are able to squeeze through any crevice, crack, or crawl space they find available. Although wasps tend to fly through open doors and windows, you need to avert their entry.
A damaged screen or door left ajar is the easiest way a wasp infestation can be indoors. Because wasps sometimes build nests inside attics and wall voids, they are often found near doors and damaged window screens.
Before we start, double-check your Windows
To avert a potential wasp infestation, your home needs to not appear attractive to these pests. Get rid of anything that might appear like a good place for wasps or other flying insects to nest in. Ensure all entry points are sealed. Wasps shouldn't have an easy way inside your house. Therefore, all cracks on outdoor walls should be sealed.
In some cases, a wasp nest may be found near a window with a damaged screen or a door that is left open to the outside. Wasps sometimes build nests in the walls or up inside your attic. Allowing other wasps coming from their nests to get inside our home's living spaces.
Types of Wasp Infestation
It might come as a shock to discover the number of wasp species there are-- more than 30,000! You might get some relief knowing there are only about three kinds of wasps that inhabit Northern California.
You might discover a yellow jacket nest close to the ground, for instance, beneath a porch or in a hollowed tree. Often you will find paper wasps nest inside areas that are enclosed, such as between wall gaps, in attics, and beneath the eaves. Mud daubers like to find places that will offer them protection. These areas are usually on the sides of a house or other building, in the garage, attic, or under the eaves.
Some popular types of wasp infestations you might come across include:
- The yellow jacket resides in hollow trees and places close to the ground, like underneath porches.
- Mud daubers are found in areas offering them protection. These areas include the side of a building, attics, wall gaps, and a home's eaves.
- The nest of the paper wasps is inside wall gaps, eaves, and attics. Paper wasps also prefer nesting in hollow trees.
Are Wasp Stings Serious?
If wasps feel threatened, they will defend their nest with a painful sting. Unlike bees, wasps do not discard their stinger, allowing them to sting multiple times.
When wasps are distressed, they release pheromones to alert the rest of the colony to the danger. These pheromones cause the rest of the same wasp species' colony to respond as a frenzy of stinging insects.
The CDC declares there were more than 1100 deaths from bee, hornet, or wasp stings in the years 2016 through 2017. An average of over sixty deaths each year.
If you have an allergy to wasps or bee stings, avoid attempting the removal of a nest by yourself. Contact the experts at A.N.T. Pest Control to get rid of wasps.
How to Get Rid of Wasps
When you are trying DIY methods to get rid of wasps in your house, use a wasp-specific pesticide. Use an insecticidal aerosol spray or dust designed to destroy the colony's queen and kill wasps.
It can be dangerous to attempt to remove wasps. Trying to eradicate wasp nests exposes you and your family to the risk of getting stung multiple times.
Preventing a Wasp Infestation
It is imperative to understand how that solitary wasp got indoors. One wasp can lead to an infestation if the area looks inviting. It will be much easier to remove one single wasp than an entire infestation. However, you will need to begin treatment of the area to eradicate a colony once it has taken up residence.
Solitary wasps are seeking an area to build a nest to house their young. However, you do not want these pests and your family sharing living quarters.
Tips to help deter a wasp infestation
Here are a few tips to use as preventative measures for deterring wasps:
- Do regular maintenance to deter wasps from building their nests on your property.
- Seal potential entry points by filling cracks with waterproof caulking.
- Maintain fly screens on all doors and windows to deter entrance.
- Put lids with a tight fit on your outside trash cans, averting worker wasps foraging for a food source.
Clove-Geranium-Lemongrass Oil Blend
An efficient method of getting rid of wasps and their nests includes using a combination of essential oils. These oils include cloves, geranium, and lemongrass. Simply blend several drops of oil in soapy water, then transfer it to a spray bottle.
Check every entry point
The best way to ensure vents don't get more wasps is to cover them with a grate to prevent entrance. If there are already wasps in the flue, it's best to exterminate them using pesticides. You may also need to use traps to eliminate any other pests.
Recognize the Signs of an Infestation
In the spring, the queen wasps build nests to start laying eggs. Some things to look for to identify a wasp nest:
- The nest often resembles a ball of paper.
- A new nest has a hole at the bottom and is basketball-sized.
- New nests are built in the pattern of a hexagon.
Often other wasps will remove any dying wasp from the nest so they can hibernate over winter.
How to Know if You Have a Wasp Problem
Small wasp nests can be removed and eradicated with little effort on your behalf. Large nests that have spread to a sizable portion of your home require a bit more care. Cover the nest with a garbage bag and gently pull it down.
Try effective home remedies
You can deter wasps using deterrents that are natural, such as essential oils and herbs. A combination of clove, lemongrass, and geranium oils may be applied to outer walls and crevices where you've noticed wasp activity. Apple cider vinegar and peppermint oil are effective home remedies to get rid of paper wasp nest.
Wasps are slower and not so aggressive at night. This is when aerosol sprays should be administered. Always wear protective clothing to prevent getting stung.
Cautiously dislodge the wasps' nest from where it is hanging. Break it up into pieces using the stick you removed it with. Reapply the pesticide to the inside of both pieces. Then dispose of the nest and any dead wasps immediately.
A small hanging nest can also be used by mixing two tablespoons of dish soap in a spray bottle filled with water.
What Attracts Wasp Nests to My Yard?
Yellow jackets like having a nest close to the ground, in places like a hollowed-out tree, or beneath the porch. They also will nest inside an area that is enclosed, like gaps in the wall, your attic, or under the eaves.
A mud dauber likes areas that make them feel less threatened. These places include the side of your house, inside the attic, or beneath the eaves.
Remove all Their Food Sources
If your home provides wasps with lots of food sources, you won't be able to get rid of them. They like eating foods that contain protein and relish sweet fruit trees.
They also find trach with food crumbs an attractive food source. Do not leave pet food in a place wasps can get to. They will eat this too.
The larvae of wasps feed on other pests, such as ants, flies, and spiders. If you have other pests in your yard, this could be what is attracting wasps to your home and yard.
How do you prevent wasps from coming near your home?
Ensure to cover compost piles and clean any BBQ scraps quickly, do not leave any food scraps outdoors. Moisture build-up will also attract a wasp problem to your yard. In addition, wasps that nest inside can cause damage to wallboards or the ceiling.
To get rid of the wasps inside, you can use a store-bought wasp killer. Or you can eliminate the problem by calling a professional wasp exterminator like A.N.T. Pest Control.
When it's Time to Call a Professional
If you have ever incurred serious injury caused by a swarm of pests like wasps or bees, you understand the importance of needing professional assistance.
The safest method to get rid of wasps is by calling a licensed pest control professional for nest removal. Even if you have eliminated all the wasps indoors, you still need help finding and eliminating the nests.
To get your home and yard wasp-free, call A.N.T. Pest Control today. Contact us by calling 815-215-7211 to schedule an inspection of your property.
