How to Get Rid of Wasps Without the Use of Poisons

When wasps build nests around your home, they often prefer to build around doorways, eaves, and windows, creating a hazard for adults, children, guests, and pets. Some people are very allergic to wasp stings, so it’s a good idea to remove the nest as quickly as possible. As the nest is built larger, it becomes a bigger problem, so locate and remove wasp nests early. Many people are concerned about spraying lethal insecticides around pets and children, but you can still rid your property of wasps without these poisonous chemicals.

2 2L soda bottles

String

Staples

Citrus oil

Dishwashing soap

Supersoaker water gun

Broom or long handle

Clean your yard. Do not leave empty soda cans or snack wrappers lying around. Cover garbage containers properly. Wasps are attracted to waste, so clean up pet droppings quickly.

Soak the wasp nest with a child’s supersoaker-type water squirter filled with soapy water. Use your child’s supersoaker or purchase your own. They work well for working from a distance to the soak the nest. The soapy film removes the protective film on the wasps’ bodies and they die. Diluted citrus oil can also be used for this purpose.

Hang up a fake nest. Wasps are both territorial and visual. If they see that a spot is already inhabited with a nest, they will go elsewhere to find another place. Build your own faux wasp nest by balling up newspaper into a wasp nest shape and hanging it in the spot where wasps tend to build. Commercial fake nests also are available for this purpose.

Make a wasp trap. Many are on the market, but you can make your own with just a couple empty 2L bottles, some string, and staples. Cut one of the bottles below the part where it tapers into the bottleneck. Then, cut the second bottle slightly below this part, so that one portion will be able to fit into the other. Fill the cut bottom portion with sugar water or maple syrup water. Turn the part with the bottleneck upside down and fit into the bottom portion filled with water. Staple together. Puncture the upper portion so that thread can be fitted into the holes to make a hanger. Thread string or twine into the holes and knot the ends on the inside.

Hang the trap where wasps congregate. Attracted to the sugar water, they will fly down into the bottleneck and not be able to get out.

Remove the nest. This is important because it will always be an invitation for wasps to return, so wait until dusk when wasps are less active and knock down the nest with a broom. If the nest is very high, you may want to purchase a telescoping handle that attaches to brooms and mops to clean high areas. These work great for removing nests because you can stay a good distance away in case wasps become aggressive.

If you are allergic to wasp stings, have someone else perform the wasp removal.