wasps in my house!

[gaseousclay]

over the last week or so i've started noticing wasps appearing inside our kitchen - they seem to hang out on the kitchen window. I know I should probably call a fumigator at some point but i'd like to know the source first before I have to plunk down cash first.

at this point i'm completely clueless as to how they're getting in the house. I can't see any visible entry points and i'm starting to wonder if there's nest nearby. any thoughts on how I should handle this? I know I should call the professionals first but I want to know if I can contain the situation before making that call.

 

[Alacrity59]

Sorry for asking the obvious . . . did you look outside to see if there are wasp nest(s) hanging from your house somewhere?

 

[raisindot]

There's definitely a next nearby. They may be crawling through the little "gap" between the outside window screen and the window if that's how they're getting in.

Generally, the best way to spot the nest is to stand outside the house near that particular window and watch for awhile. Eventually, you should start seeing wasps hanging around a certain point. The nests aren't always visible. We've have them entering in tiny little under the siding, in gutters, in holes in the cement stairs on our outside landing. Doesn't take much.

Call the exterminator quickly, though. You don't want to mess with this. If they've gotten into your house, there's no way you can them out yourself, since they've probably gotten into the walls. You really have a very short window before a small group of them turns into hundreds.

Jeff in Boston

 

[raisindot]

BTW, did you notice that above the message panel you see an ad for "Terminex?" Talk about your word-based targeted advertising!



Jeff in Boston

 

[gaseousclay]

Sorry for asking the obvious . . . did you look outside to see if there are wasp nest(s) hanging from your house somewhere?

I've looked but can't see anything with the naked eye. I might have to get my ladder out and see if there's a nest in the gutter somewhere, although, that seems like a strange place to build a potential nest.

 

[DSB]

If you do find the nest, spraying it with the commercially available sprays is very effective. I have done this on wasp nests of all sizes, and it has always worked. Of course, you have to find the nest, first. Since the wasps are inside the house, I'm wondering if their nest is in the interior of your roof (attic, crawl space, whatever).

The easiest way to find the nest is to spend some time outside of your house, and see if you can spot where the wasps are going. Wasps are only active during the day, so you'll have to do this search during daylight. If/when you spray the nest, do it at night. It is safer, and you will know that the wasps are inside (you're going to have to kill them -- don't try removing the nest until they are dead. Sorry PETA people).

I'd be a little leary about climbing up on ladders until you have a good idea where the nest is. If you accidentally get too close, you could find the wasps are aggressive when defending their nest.

Good luck, and don't get stung.

 

[Austin]

If you do find the nest, spraying it with the commercially available sprays is very effective. I have done this on wasp nests of all sizes, and it has always worked. Of course, you have to find the nest, first. Since the wasps are inside the house, I'm wondering if their nest is in the interior of your roof (attic, crawl space, whatever).

The easiest way to find the nest is to spend some time outside of your house, and see if you can spot where the wasps are going. Wasps are only active during the day, so you'll have to do this search during daylight. If/when you spray the nest, do it at night. It is safer, and you will know that the wasps are inside (you're going to have to kill them -- don't try removing the nest until they are dead. Sorry PETA people).

I'd be a little learing about climbing up on ladders until you have a good idea where the nest is. If you accidentally get too close, you could find the wasps are aggressive when defending their nest.

Good luck, and don't get stung.

Ditto. I had a nest in my attic at a previous house. They came in through a soffit vent. I killed a few wasps in my house and could not find a nest on the exterior. I ventured into the attic and found the nest. It's easier to kill them early morning or night.

 

[gaseousclay]

If you do find the nest, spraying it with the commercially available sprays is very effective. I have done this on wasp nests of all sizes, and it has always worked. Of course, you have to find the nest, first. Since the wasps are inside the house, I'm wondering if their nest is in the interior of your roof (attic, crawl space, whatever).

The easiest way to find the nest is to spend some time outside of your house, and see if you can spot where the wasps are going. Wasps are only active during the day, so you'll have to do this search during daylight. If/when you spray the nest, do it at night. It is safer, and you will know that the wasps are inside (you're going to have to kill them -- don't try removing the nest until they are dead. Sorry PETA people).

I'd be a little learing about climbing up on ladders until you have a good idea where the nest is. If you accidentally get too close, you could find the wasps are aggressive when defending their nest.

Good luck, and don't get stung.

thanks for the tip. i'll check the attic when I get the time.

the wasps have only been getting in the house one at a time - i've probably killed 4 in the last week and a half. but, if there's a nest stirring somewhere I wanna take it out before it gets worse

 

[ibrewbeer]

Do you have a chimney or molding/siding that covers negative space?- i.e covering anything that results in creating a space between the molding/siding and the actual house? We had an issue with bees in the 80's at my parent's house...removed over 10 lbs of honey comb, was a whole colony between the siding and the house on one of the trellis overhangs. Don't mean to scare you but they do love those insulated spaces, and they could fairly easily move from inside to out which might explain why they are in your house

 

[cnconner]

I had the same problem a few years back. There were no visible nests. The wasps had built nests in the eaves of the house entering through some poorly caulked points. I tried spraying wasp killer into the entry points, but it didn't work.

In the end, I called an exterminator and they used a dust wasp killer all along the eaves of the house applying it from the attic. That did the trick and was worth every cent. Once I was sure the wasps were dead, I caulked the entry points and never had the problem again.

 

[ibrewbeer]

I had the same problem a few years back. There were no visible nests. The wasps had built nests in the eaves of the house entering through some poorly caulked points. I tried spraying wasp killer into the entry points, but it didn't work.

In the end, I called an exterminator and they used a dust wasp killer all along the eaves of the house applying it from the attic. That did the trick and was worth every cent. Once I was sure the wasps were dead, I caulked the entry points and never had the problem again.

That's the word I was looking for, eaves, had me thinkin I was crazy for a minute. I meant eaves not trellis...

 

[Uncle Erik]

Once you find and get rid of the nest, seal the hell out of your place.

Get a few cans of expanding foam or marine foam at the hardware storr and a bunch of caulk. Seal up every little crack, foam in where pipes come through the walls, j-boxes, just everything. Check the weatherstripping around windows and around doors. Seal up everything.

For one, it'll keep the critters out. Also, you'll save some on energy bills.

We have some apartments and started sealing the snot out of them a few years back. The result is that bug calls dropped to practically zero and energy bills got a little better. Happy tenants make me happy. Also, the cost of a thorough sealing is less than an exterminator.

 

[thunderball]

I would also suggest finding out what kind of wasps you're dealing with. There are a few different types each with different nesting habits and behaviours. Or you could try catching just one and beating the information out of him.

 

[Omnichron]

I wait until night time then pop out the AquaNet hairspray and a match then swooosh! flamethrower! it gets them every time. I do not recommend you do this as it can be a hazard to your life, health and property.

 

[raisindot]

I wait until night time then pop out the AquaNet hairspray and a match then swooosh! flamethrower! it gets them every time. I do not recommend you do this as it can be a hazard to your life, health and property.

Expect your nomination for the Darwin Awards any day now.



Jeff in Boston

 

[Greybeard]

I would also suggest finding out what kind of wasps you're dealing with. There are a few different types each with different nesting habits and behaviours. Or you could try catching just one and beating the information out of him.

Japanese Giant Wasp. Let me know how that works out for you.

- Peter

 

[VR6ofpain]

Expect your nomination for the Darwin Awards any day now.



Jeff in Boston

 

[Austin]

I wait until night time then pop out the AquaNet hairspray and a match then swooosh! flamethrower! it gets them every time. I do not recommend you do this as it can be a hazard to your life, health and property.

Dude you're dangerous.

 

[norton]

Drione or Pyganic Dust?

"Pyganic dust is a low odor , fine white dust which works as a dessicant on insects, just like Drione Dust. Pyganic dust cuts into the exoskeleton of the insect, causing a lethal loss of moisture."

Love to cut some exoskeletons.

 

[Mycon]

If you have a swamp cooler, check the inside of that too. We encountered that little surprise last summer.