Wildlife, Rodent, & Pest Control Services

One day, you’re trimming some bushes by the side of your house when you’re suddenly attacked by a swarm of angry wasps. After treating the painful stings, you cautiously return outside and realize there’s a papery nest hanging down beneath your roof. This is an unpleasant situation that many homeowners in Knoxville find themselves in and they all have the same question: how do I get rid of this wasp nest without getting stung a hundred times?

Safely removing a wasp nest without being swarmed and attacked is challenging, especially when the nest is built in a high-up or otherwise hard-to-reach place. If you want to make an attempt at do-it-yourself wasp nest removal, follow these steps.

A Step-by-Step Guide to Getting Rid of Wasps

The first thing to note about removing a wasp nest from your home in Knoxville is that you should never attempt to do so by day. Trying to remove a wasp nest in the daytime is a sure way to get stung multiple times. This is because wasps are diurnal insects, meaning that they’re alert while the sun is up but become dormant at night. If you’re going to attempt a DIY wasp nest removal, make sure to do so in the evening or early in the morning when wasps will be the slowest to mount a counteroffensive.

To exterminate the wasps defending the nest, purchase a can of aerosol wasp killer at your local hardware store. These cans tend to have a range of about 20 feet, allowing you to strike nests in high places like roof eaves and tree branches, and keeping you at a relatively safe distance. However, if wasps start angrily flying out of the nest, you’ll still want to beat a hasty retreat before they swarm you and start stinging. Using the pesticide spray, thoroughly douse the wasp nest to kill all of the wasps within. Target entry holes to the nest, often found near the bottom, to prevent wasps from escaping. Then it’s time to wait. While the spray should kill all wasps within the nest in a matter of minutes, it’s possible some may survive.

Don’t try to remove the wasp nest immediately after spraying. Not only will the potentially harmful chemicals be more potent right after application, there may be dying and angry wasps still inside that could come out and sting you. Wait until tomorrow and observe the wasp nest for signs of activity. If necessary, spray it again. Once you’re sure all the wasps are dead, you can proceed with disposing of the nest.

Actually disposing of the wasp nest can be tough if it’s too high up to reach. Knock it down with a long pole and try to drop it directly into a garbage bag, then seal it immediately just in case there are a few wasps still alive in there. If it’s not possible to knock the wasp nest down directly into a garbage bag, you may need to let it fall to the ground and then pick up the pieces. Make sure to wear protective gloves to avoid any of the pesticide residue getting on your skin.

Professional Wasp Nest Removal in Knoxville

If removing a wasp nest on your own doesn’t sound like fun, that’s because it’s not. This is a tricky process that can easily result in painful stings if mishandled. Because of this, we recommend hiring a local pest control company to safely remove wasp nests from your property. Reach out to Critter Wranglers today if you’re in need of wasp nest removal services in the greater Knoxville area!