How to identify a wasp infestation

Most wasps are usually non-aggressive. Their purpose in life is to simply lay their eggs, find food, build a nest, and mate. There are times when the nest will cross paths with humans. They still won’t chase you or sting you however, if you harm them or squeeze them, then they will sting in order to get away.

Wasp infestations can occur inside or outside of your home. It’s important to note that if you find an infestation, you may want to hire a professional to remove them if they are inside your home and if you are allergic to bees.

Can Wasps Get Inside a Home?

Wasps can enter your home or commercial business and there are several reasons why they do. Here are a few of the most common reasons why they end up inside.

*They could be looking for food – they may have smelled something close by and it led them right into your home and into your kitchen. Or it could have been some sweet-smelling perfume that a customer was wearing into your store that lured them in. They may have also discovered a few spiders that they could use back in their nest.

*They may build a nest inside the doorway and when someone opens the door, they fly into the home. They become trapped and unable to get out of the house and they end up hanging around.

*They could have been nesting in an item that was brought inside the home. If an item was in storage for a while, the wasps may have built a nest within the item or underneath the item. If you don’t see it, then the wasps will begin to show up inside your home.

*If fall is approaching, the fertile female may be looking for a home to hibernate in while it is cold outside. You may not see it until the spring when they emerge to begin building their nest.

What to Look for

If you have a wasp infestation outside of your home, then you may find it easier to get rid of them compared to being inside the home. While wasps are non-aggressive, they can make it difficult to go in or out of a door to a building or home. If you notice a few flying around, look around until you find the nest.

Once you discover the nest, you will want to wait until night time to spray the nest with wasp killer before knocking down the nest so they cannot use the nest anymore. If you don’t knock the nest down, the survivors will come back in a day or two and relocate back to the nest. If you see just one or two in your home at some point, chances are there is no infestation. They were possibly passing through and were redirected inside your home. They will go around your home searching for a way to get out.

If you have an infestation in your barn or out buildings, you will want to wait until night time to spray the nest and then knock them down. Otherwise, you will upset the wasps and they will come after you to sting you because you are now a threat to them.

A wasp infestation is easy to spot and can be quickly taken care of before it becomes out of hand.

Look for a nest that is made from bits of chewed wood that when dry, looks like paper. It may be wide at the top with a narrow entry hole at the bottom or it may be open faced with lots of cells or tunnels visible.

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How to identify a wasp infestation