Wasps are potentially dangerous stinging pests that you can have buzzing around your property. Their stings are not just painful. They can be fatal — if you suffer from a severe allergy to wasps and bee stings for example. But what if you see lots of wasps but no nest? What does that mean. And how do you get rid of these stinging pests if you can’t see their home?
Why do you see lots of wasps but no nest?
- There is actually a wasp nest nearby. Wasps don’t just come out of nowhere. If you see lots of wasps, there is definitely a nest nearby. It’s just in a place where you can’t spot them easily, so you are quick to assume that there is no nest. Different wasps have different nesting habits. Baldfaced hornets, for example, are more likely to nest in aerial spaces like eaves and roofs. On the other hand, yellow jackets are more likely to nest in lower spaces like under the ground. Find the nest by simply following the wasps. They will go back to their nest eventually.
- It’s wasp season. You may see more wasps than usual during specific months of the year. Yellow jackets, for instance, thrive more during the warmer months. They hibernate during winter and breed and colonize in spring and summer. Wasp populations peak during late summer, and then they decline as fall and winter create a scarcity of resources. Be careful of wasps during the colder months. They may be more aggressive because of their desperation for resources.
- Your property has a lot of wasp attractors. Wasps are primarily attracted to food sources. If you have a lot of unattended food around your property, it’s natural that it will attract various pests, including wasps. These stinging pests actually have a more diverse diet than most people think. They prefer protein sources such as insects and meat during warmer months because these help with the growth of their young. And they prefer sugar sources such as flower nectars, fruits, and sodas during the colder months because these help them prepare for the coming winter.
What you can do
- Find the wasp nest by following the wasps. Finding a wasp nest is relatively simple. Just follow one of the wasps bothering your property. It will go back to its nest eventually, especially later in the day. If you don’t see a lot of wasp activity lately, you can lure one out with a wasp attractor. Use a protein source or sugar source, depending on the time of the year. Use a protein source during the warmer months and a sugar source during the colder months. One of these stinging pests will eventually find the bait. Then all you have to do is wait for it to go back to its nest.
- Get rid of the wasp nest. Once you find the wasp nest, bomb it with a commercial insecticide. Follow the instructions on the product’s label to ensure its effectiveness and safety. The instructions are relatively simple. They tell you how far you need to be and how much of the stuff you need to spray. Don’t try to burn a wasp nest. Wasp nests are made out of a paper-like material that wasps produce by mixing their saliva with woodshedding. They are flammable. Burning them puts you at risk of house fires, especially if the wasp nest is inside your home.
- Let the wasps die out on their own. Wasps naturally die out in the colder months because of the lack of resources. If you don’t want to bother getting rid of them actively, you can simply wait for them to naturally die out. However, you should still get rid of their nest. These stinging pests can borrow through wood. They create hollow areas and tunnels that may serve as nests and passageways for other pests.
How to get rid of wasps without getting stung
- Wear protective gear. Wasp stings can turn red and swell. You can also experience allergic reactions, such as diarrhea, hives, and vomiting. Severe allergic reaction or anaphylaxis is actually fatal. In short, you really don’t want to get stung by wasps. Before you bomb a wasp nest with a commercial pesticide, wear protective gear. A bee veil will be the best protection, but you are not likely to have such a thing. At least wear goggles, face masks, long-sleeved clothes, pants, boots, and gloves.
- Attack at night. There are two advantages to getting rid of wasp nests at night. One: it maximizes the damage because most of the wasps are back in the nest resting. Two: wasps are generally less aggressive at night. Don’t let the second advantage fool you. If you try to attack and destroy their home, wasps will try to retaliate, whatever time of day it is.
- Call pest control professionals. There are many ways to get rid of wasps yourself. You can use commercial products like pesticides. And you can also try natural remedies, such as boiling water, soapy water, and sugar traps. But be careful in trying the natural remedies you read about online. Soapy water, for instance, can cause more harm than good. Don’t pour soapy water inside your wasp-infested walls. You may cause serious structural damage. To avoid these caveats, you can simply call pest control professionals and let them handle the stinging pests. This ensures not just the effectiveness of the pest control method, but also your safety from wasp stings.
You may see lots of wasps but no nest
If you see lots of wasps but no nest, there is a high chance that there is actually a nest nearby. You just don’t see it because it’s hidden in a high area like your roof or in a low area like under the ground. If you want to find the nest, lure one of the wasps, follow it, and wait for it to return to the nest.
Get rid of the wasp nest with commercial products or natural remedies. But if you really want to avoid getting stung, just call pest control professionals and let them handle the stinging pests.