Paper Wasp Management Guide

Enjoying your outdoor space can be difficult with pests flying around, especially if they can sting. Paper wasps are commonly seen in yards and can easily make their way indoors. To keep these pests away, you’ll want to implement preventative measures and use pest control products. We’ve gathered information to help you eliminate a wasp infestation. 

Wasps are active in spring, summer, and fall. In spring and early summer, they are busy building their colony. Toward the end of summer and in early fall, they reach their peak population and begin preparing for winter. During this time, they can become more aggressive due to a lack of resources and trying to protect the queen to preserve the colony. It’s always easier to prevent an infestation than fight an active pest problem. In addition to preventative measures, you will also want to treat the nest and wasps with pest control products. 

Remove Potential Food Sources: Like all pests, wasps hang out in areas where they can find something to eat. When eating outside, keep your food and drinks covered and clean up any crumbs or spills. Make sure your trash cans have lids that fit well, and remove trash from your yard. Wasps like sweets, so rinse out bottles before disposing of them. If you have a garden, pick up any rotting produce.

Minimize Moisture: Water can also attract wasps to your space. Check for leaky pipes, spigots, or hoses and repair them. Empty or remove items in your yard where water collects. Don’t forget to check for and minimize moisture build-up in your home too.

Trim Vegetation: Wasps like to build their nests in shrubs, bushes, and trees. Keeping your vegetation trimmed will make it easier to spot a nest. It can also help to reduce potential nesting sites.

Use an Outdoor Fan: When you’re spending time outside, you can use a fan to help deter wasp activity. The breeze from the fan will make it harder for wasps to fly, helping to keep them away from you and your guests.

Seal Entry Points: To keep wasps out of your home, you’ll want to make sure they can’t find a way inside. Check for and seal any cracks or gaps in walls, frames, your foundation, and near your roofline. Repair or replace damaged screens. Keep doors and windows shut if they don’t have screens. 

When dealing with a wasp infestation, treating the nest is necessary. Our Wasp & Hornet Killer is effective for treating nests and killing wasps. You can also treat your yard and vegetation with our Yard Bug Spray to help deter wasp activity. 

To control a wasp problem, you will need to locate and treat the nest. Paper wasps like to construct nests in shrubs and bushes, on tree limbs, in attics, sheds, and crawl spaces, and on windowsills, porches, and eaves. Their nests are gray or brown and have a paper-like appearance. They are composed of hexagonal cells and have an umbrella-like shape.

Our Wasp & Hornet Killer is formulated with plant essential oils as the active ingredients. It kills stinging insects fast and provides residual repellency protection. It is a foaming jet spray that reaches up to 18 feet and coats the nest. It can be used outside and in unfinished indoor areas including attics, basements, garages, and sheds.

Application Tips

When treating a paper wasp nest, you will want to keep a safe distance from it. Covering as much skin as possible can help to prevent being stung. Spray with the wind at your back. Shake the can well before use, and hold it in an upright position. Aim the spray nozzle at the nest and press the button firmly. Coat the nest opening for at least 10 seconds, and work to make contact with as many wasps as possible. You can repeat the application as needed.

If you are allergic to stinging insects, it is best to contact a pest management professional instead of trying to treat the nest yourself. 

Our Yard Bug Spray kills and repels wasps and other pests. It can be used to create a repellent barrier in your yard that will help to deter wasps. The product is formulated with plant oils as the active ingredients. It comes equipped with a hose-end sprayer connector for your garden hose and can effectively treat up to 5,000 sq ft. When used as directed, our Yard Bug Spray is safe for use around children and pets.

Application Tips

Attach the bottle nozzle to your garden hose. When spraying, you will want to work back toward the spigot. You can treat areas where wasps are likely to construct nests to help repel them from the area. To treat your lawn, spray in a sweeping motion to cover the target area, overlapping the spray to get the best coverage. Spray your vegetation, ensuring the spray reaches deep into shrubs and bushes. For a preventative treatment, apply at a rate of 500–600 sq ft per minute. You can also spray the perimeter of your house to help prevent wasps from sneaking inside.

It can be hard to want to spend time outside if you’re worried about having a run-in with a stinging insect. Implementing preventative techniques and using pest control products will help to get rid of these pests.