How to get rid of a wasp nest

Wasps are territorial, aggressive and mean. There are over 10,000 native Australian wasp species and transplanted European wasps in Australia. Wasps have a painful sting and can sting you several times and not die. The sting releases a pheromone that tells other nearby wasps you are a threat, and they too will attack and sting you. If you see wasp nests under eaves, on tree branches or tree trunks, stay a safe distance away from them unless you know how to remove a wasp nest safely. Some people can remove an Australian wasp nest on their own, but if you are unsure how to remove a wasp nest yourself, call a pest control company. They have the tools and training to do the job safely.

How common are wasps in Australia?

Wasps are very common in homes and gardens all over Australia. They are attracted to sweet food and drink and meats. European wasps first began to appear in Tasmania. They are now among the over 10,000 wasp species found in forests, woodlands and urban areas throughout Australia. The ability to safely do wasp nest removal or to know good pest control companies that can do it for you is very important. No matter where you live in Australia, wasps and wasp nests are nearby.

How do you know if you have a wasp problem?

If you see lots of wasps around soft drink cans, rubbish and compost heaps and children and adults are being stung by wasps; you have a wasp problem. Wasps usually focus on catching insects to feed their young. A significant increase in wasp stings is a sign there are several wasp nests near your home. This is a problem because most wasp nests are hidden from sight, and if children or adult accidentally bump into one, droves of wasps will aggressively attack and string them repeatedly. 

Materials and tools required to get rid of a wasp nest

If you want to remove a wasp nest yourself, you can use several materials and tools to remove wasp nests. That’s true whether it’s a paper wasp nest that is hanging from your eaves, on a tree or European wasp nests in the ground. Some tools and materials required for safe wasp nest removal include:

• Protective equipment and clothing
• A can of wasp freeze
• Peppermint oil
• Lavender oil
• Tea tree oil
• Eucalyptus oil
• Citronella oil
• Pennyroyal oil 
• Half a litre of vodka 
• A lemon-clove solution
• Dishwashing liquid
• Smoke
• White vinegar
• Chilli pepper
• Cucumber
• Boric acid
• Baby powder 
• An empty spray bottle

Using these tools and materials enables you to create many different methods to remove wasp nests yourself for a small wasp nest removal cost.

How to get rid of a wasp nest

Learning how to remove a wasp nest is easy. Wasps are more docile and dormant at night. Locate the wasp nest during daylight hours and get rid of them at night while wearing protective clothing and equipment to reduce your risk of being stung.

Wasp freeze: To get rid of wasp nests, approach the nest carefully and spray the entire thing with wasp freeze. This kills all the wasps in the nest. 

Peppermint oil and lemon-clove solution: Fill two-thirds of the spray bottle with water. Add three tablespoons of peppermint oil or a mixture of lemon oil and clove oil. Shake well and spray the wasp nest with it. The wasps will abandon the nest, flee or die.

Dishwashing liquid: Fill your spray bottle with two-thirds water. Add dishwashing liquid to it and shake it until suds appear. If you spray it on the nest, the soap suds will kill them. 

White vinegar: Mix a cup of water and a cup of white vinegar in the spray bottle. Spray it on the nest and on any wasps you see. Spray the nest several times for maximum impact. 

Chilli pepper: Chop up some chilli peppers, boil them in water and let them cool. Strain the water, put it in a spray bottle and spray the nest and the wasps with it.

Cucumber: To get rid of wasps, put cucumber slices near their nest and other wasp infested areas.

Lavender, tea tree, eucalyptus, citronella and pennyroyal oil: Lavender, Tea Tree, Eucalyptus, Citronella and Pennyroyal oils all have strong scents that wasps don’t like. Pour a half litre of vodka into a spray bottle. Add the oils, mix it thoroughly and spray the nest and any areas wasps frequent several times a week. They will go away permanently.

Boric acid: Mix boric acid and water and spray the mixture on the wasp nest. For a European wasp nest in the ground, boreholes and pour the boric acid mixture into them to kill the wasps. 

Baby powder: Sprinkle baby powder on the nest and other areas wasps frequent. The talc in it drives wasps away. 

How to prevent wasps

To keep wasps away, don’t have thick shrubs near your home. Empty and wash rubbish bins regularly. Clean and properly maintain your gutters. Wasps sometimes build large nests in or under gutters. Put screens on windows and doors and seal all cracks to stop wasps from entering your home. Put wasp traps in your garden. Keep sweet-smelling plants far from your house. If you see wasps flying near your home, it is a good indication that they have a nest nearby. 

How to hire a pest control expert

Although there are many different ways that you can remove a wasp nest yourself, the safest way to do so is to call a professional. This will ensure that the wasps are removed from your home entirely without causing any harm. 

Licencing and qualifications 

If there’s an Australian wasp nest, paper wasp nest or European wasp nest in the ground near your home and you need a pest control expert, ensure they are qualified, licenced and insured, and their wasp nest removal cost is reasonable. Ensure all pesticides they use are non-toxic and Australian Standard AS 3660 compliant. Plus, ask for a written estimate and warranty information before the work begins.