Sharing your space with wasps isn’t an ideal situation. Identifying an infestation quickly will make it easier to kick these pests out of your home. Thankfully, these stinging insects often leave behind clues that warn of their presence. Check out a few signs that you’re dealing with a wasp infestation.
Seeing Wasps
Spotting one or two wasps doesn’t necessarily mean your space is infested. However, seeing several wasps on a regular basis could mean they have settled down in or near your home. Wasps are most active in the middle of the day when it’s warmest. This is when they leave the nest in search of food. If you notice wasps, you can identify them by their coloring. Paper wasps have a brown body with yellow stripes. Yellow jackets have a black body with yellow markings.
Finding a Wasp Nest
Finding a wasp nest in your home or yard is another sign of an infestation. Nests are grayish-brown and have a paper-like appearance. Paper wasps build nests in trees, shrubs, attics, and wall voids. Yellow jackets often build nests underground. To spot these nests, you’ll want to look for wasps coming and going through a hole in the ground. If you’re having trouble locating a nest, you can follow the wasp’s flight path when they return to their nest in the evening.
Spotting Chewed Wood
Wasps construct nests from wood and saliva. They are known to strip wood from trees, fences, or exposed wood on homes. If you notice holes or scratches in wood, it could be a sign of wasps. Holes in wood can also be an indicator of carpenter ants and carpenter bees, so you’ll want to make sure you correctly identify the pest problem. When collecting wood, wasps may also leave behind small traces of dust.
Hearing Noises
Stinging insects often create noises when completing their daily tasks. Wasps emit a buzzing sound when flying and constructing nests. The larger the infestation, the louder the buzzing will be. You may also hear tapping or scraping noises, especially if they are building a nest in your home. If you start noticing these noises, there’s a chance that wasps have moved into your space.
How to Get Rid of a Wasp Infestation
An occasional wasp isn’t always a problem, but an infestation is more worrisome. If you identify a wasp infestation, you’ll want to take steps to get rid of these pests. Check out a few tips to help keep your space free of wasps.
- Seal Entry Points: One of the best ways to keep wasps out of your home is to remove potential access points. Check for and seal cracks or holes where wasps could enter. Repair or replace damaged window screens. Before sealing a void, make sure wasps aren’t there to avoid trapping wasps in your home.
- Keep Vegetation Trimmed: Keeping your shrubs and bushes trimmed will minimize nesting sites and also make it easier to spot a wasp nest.
- Minimize Attractants: Wasps are attracted to sweets and proteins. After enjoying a meal outside, be sure to clean up any crumbs or spills. You’ll also want to keep your space as dry as possible.
- Use a Plant-Based Insecticide Spray: Our plant-based Wasp & Hornet Killer kills and repels wasps. The foaming jet spray reaches up to 18 feet, allowing you to keep your distance from the nest when treating it. Start by spraying the entrance to the nest and then fully coat the entire nest. You’ll also want to spray any wasps close to the nest.
If you want to keep your home and yard free of wasps, you’ll need to know how to identify an infestation. If wasps or other pests are bugging you, we have your back! For a more environmentally and family-friendly solution, check out our Maggie’s Farm Simply Effective™ Pest Control products.