Eco-Friendly Tips to Remove Wasps from Your Home

by David Faltz Search Engine & Branding Optimizer

The first reaction most people have when finding a wasp in their home or garden is to panic, and rightfully so. Wasps are known to sting without provocation and can be much more aggressive than bees. Beyond their sting, the problem most people have with wasps is they believe they don’t serve any purpose in our natural habitat. In fact, wasps are very beneficial creatures that prey on invasive pests that destroy crops. Some farmers even encourage their presence in their fields to ensure a healthy, undisturbed crop is grown. However, when wasps enter your home, they can be a serious problem, especially for people with allergic reactions to wasp stings. In order to ensure the safe and effective removal of wasps in your home or garden, it is recommended to contact a professional wasp removal service. But if you are feeling brave, there are eco-friendly ways you can manage your wasp problem on your own.

The Dangers of Wasp Stings

Unlike bees, wasps tend to sting people even when not provoked. This makes them even more of a threat in your home. A wasp’s sting can be very painful and it can invoke serious health problems as well. The most common reaction to a wasp sting is a local reaction that involves pain, swelling, and redness at the site. Other problems include allergic reactions and toxic reactions which can be fatal if not treated promptly. If you have wasps nesting in or around your home, try these eco-friendly treatments to ensure your family is safe.

Seal Entry Points

Like most pests, the best way to get into a home is through cracks along windows and doors. Check your home’s windows and doors for possible entry points and seal them up. For doors, you can install door sweeps, and for windows you can caulk cracks and repair screens. Also check for any cracks or holes in your walls and roof that might allow wasps free entry to your home.

Remove Food Sources

Wasps are attracted to the food sources inside our home. If you have any food left out they will be drawn in. Make sure all food is stored and covered after meals and avoid leaving food uncovered in the summer during picnics and gatherings. Most wasps won’t enter your home if there is no incentive to do so, so take precautionary steps to remove and cover food in your home.

Avoid Swatting

When you crush a wasp it releases a danger pheromone that calls other wasps in the area to help defend itself or the hive. If you swat a wasp, you might be creating a bigger problem than you ever imagined. Instead, avoid swatting wasps and utilize other, safer removal techniques.

Build an Eco-friendly Wasp Trap

Most wasp traps on the market contain chemicals that can harm the environment and your family. In order to avoid this unnecessary chemical use, try building your own wasp trap. Here is a great video explaining how to build an eco-friendly wasp trap with items around your home.

Use a Natural Spray

Heavy use of chemical sprays to kill wasps can be bad for your health and garden. Instead, try using a natural-based spray to rid the pests from your home. Use your hose with an attachment for soap, much like what you might use to wash your car. While wearing protective clothes to avoid stings, turn the hose to a high power and spray the wasp’s nest. The high power of the hose will stun the wasps to prevent stinging and the soap will kill them.

Avoid Wearing Bright Colors

We don’t want wasps to affect your fashion sense, but when you are removing them from your home it is recommended to avoid bright colors. Bright colors look like flowers to wasps, so if you are wearing them during the removal process you might be targeted. Also, it is recommended to treat your wasp problem at night when wasps are more docile and have returned to their nest.

Wasps may be terrifying creatures, but they are also beneficial to our eco-system. However, when in your home and garden they can invoke serous health implications for you and your family. If you wish to deal with your wasp problem on your own, try using eco-friendly treatments to avoid unnecessary use of chemicals around your home. If you find the problem is too big to handle on your own, contact a pest management professional to aid in your home’s wasp removal.

About the Author:

Daniel Mackie, co-owner of Greenleaf Pest Control, is a Toronto pest control expert well-known as an insdustry go-to guy, an innovator of safe, effective pest control solutions, and is a regular guest on HGTV. Mackie, along with business partner Sandy Costa, were the first pest control professionals in Canada to use detection dogs and thermal remediation for the successful eradication of bed bugs. In his free time, he is an avid gardener.