One of the most important aspects of maintaining the upkeep of lush and healthy plant life in your garden is to know the ins and outs of insects that can make their habitat on your trees. Wasps usually live in gardens and you can see them among tree branches. Being more familiar with the behavior of these flying insects can help keep you and your garden safe.

For homeowners who have gardens with trees, it is vital to consider the ecosystem as a whole. Most of the time when people spot a wasp nest, they rush to call for a wasp nest removal service.

But, before you get the help of professionals for proper wasp nest removal, there are a few things you need to know first.

How to Identify the Presence of a Wasp Nest in Your Garden

How will you even know if there is a wasp nest in your garden, then? For starters, you should know exactly what you are searching for. These insects often build their own structures or live in spaces like empty foxholes or hollowed trees, for instance. 

If there are no obvious and visible structures that may indicate the presence of a wasp nest in the garden, be sure to watch out for consistent points of exit and entry. These are parts of the tree where wasps seem to enter and exit often. When wasps put up their house on tree branches, their nest will be easy to spot. 

Mainly grey in colour, wasp nests look like grey paper stuck together. It then forms what resembles a tiny paper mache football. You have to find a wasp nest as soon as possible. These nests can grow in size quickly within a short span of time. Be sure to inspect your tree branches and observe the flight patterns of these insects. Doing so will help you determine when it is necessary for you to take immediate action. 

Wasp-Nest-in-Your-Garden

Dangers and Risks of Having Wasp Nests in Gardens

Wasp nests are no doubt one of the worst nightmares you can ever have in your garden or home and hundreds can be seen every year all over Dublin. 

But, what most people don’t know is that many of these insects actually have predictable behaviour that will give you an idea right away of the danger you might be facing at the moment. 

You might end up getting stung once you venture too close to the wasp nest or if you find yourself standing between the nest and the wasps.

Once disturbed, wasps can become extremely animated and start pouring out of their nest and on the surface. In just a matter of 15 minutes, the insects will go back inside the nest again and things will return to normal.

The real danger occurs if the wasps get disturbed first. This is similar to pulling a grenade’s pin. The wasp nest has been primed and prepared to unleash everything it got on the target or threat.

Just imagine kicking a ball at a fence or hedge where a wasp nest is attached. The wasps will swarm out and start settling down after several minutes. But, take note that not all insects go back inside. After several minutes, the unsuspicious person who kicked the ball will come to collect it, thinking it is safe.

However, once the person gets within 6 feet of the wasp nest, the wasps that rest on the surface of the nest will see the person and just like that, the insects will attack as a single unit even before the person gets the chance to turn around and run. 

Threats of Wasp Nests in Your Garden Trees

Wasps are infamous for their rather terrifying reputation of being among the most feared and aggressive pests in Dublin and other parts of the world.

There are some people, like the elderly, young children, and those with allergies who tend to be more seriously affected by the stings of wasps. It is the reason why, depending on whether you often stay in your garden or not, the best solution is often treating the wasp nest.

If there are more activities in the garden, people may get close to the tree where the wasp nest is attached more often. It is also a bad sign the moment the wasps get distressed. Once aggravated, these insects will emit pheromones signalling the nearby colony members. The other wasps will fly from your garden tree to defend their comrade. 

Your trees themselves are also at risk if these bear fruits. Wasps have the tendency of burrowing into the flesh of fruits like apples and pears to feed on their sugary juices. There is actually nothing much you can do to prevent this. The only thing you can do is to get rid of the wasp nest in garden trees.

Watch Out for the Different Forms of Wasp Nests

It is always a good decision to watch out for the presence of even a small wasp nest in your garden, yard, and home. The best ways how to control and get rid of a wasp nest will depend on where it is located.

Your first option is to ignore it. If there are only minimal stings and the nest is found away from human activities, it will be better to simply leave it alone. Once freezing temperatures kick in at fall, all the workers and the queen will be killed as these don’t survive during winter. Your best choice is to avoid doing anything if you can wait until then.

But, if there are risks of stings and you can no longer put up with them, nest treatment is necessary. In general, there are three common wasp nest situations and each of them gets controlled in different ways.

Exposed wasp nests

Exposed wasp nests are those hanging from horizontal surfaces like tree branches or eaves of the house. It is a straightforward task to treat these nests and sometimes, you can do it on your own. 

You can use an aerosol insecticide can labelled for hornets and wasps and spray this on the entrance of the nest. But, be sure to do it late at night once the wasps no longer fly in and out of their nest. A single application is often enough to get rid of them. Just treat the nest again if there are any survivors.

Ground-nesting wasp nests

It is also common for wasps to nest in the ground, particularly in old rodent burrows. The opening leading to the nest is visible but not the actual nest itself. It is not easy to find these nests although people usually notice such nests during late summer.

Applying granular or dust insecticide is the best way of treating these nests. Again, you need to do it during the late evening activity after the wasp activity stopped. Avoid using liquid products since these are less effective in this case.

Hidden wasp nests

It can be very challenging to deal with nests hidden inside buildings. Similar to ground nests, the only thing visible is that space where the insects fly back and forth, with the actual nest remaining concealed. Wasps commonly form their nests in spaces below stairs, attics, and wall voids.

Avoid spraying the opening of the nest. It is ineffective since the nest doesn’t line up with the location of the opening, which means that the insecticide doesn’t reach the nest where the colony resides. Similarly, you should never try blocking the opening just so the wasps won’t be able to get out. 

When you do any of these, the wasps will only go to a different direction and most of the time, it means that they will find their way inside your house. People often end up being swarmed by wasps after they spray or seal a nest opening. 

The best method of control here is applying dust on the opening. The product should be labelled for use around and in homes.

Are Wasp Nests Beneficial for Garden Trees?

Despite all the bad rap that these flying insects get, wasps actually play an important role in your garden’s ecosystem. Caterpillars and other insects are some of their main sources of food and they feed these to their grubs. 

Having a healthy wasp population in your garden can help ensure that the population of these insects won’t get out of hand. It will also ensure that the leaves of your trees will not be destroyed and overrun. Even if this is not really a good enough reason for having an active wasp nest in your garden trees, this should also give you a better understanding of why they exist in the first place. 

For this reason, it is best to get rid of a wasp nest in garden trees if it poses a safety and health risk to you and your family or the public.

 

At the end of the day, you need to ask yourself: can I undertake a wasp treatment safely by myself or should I use a professional wasp nest removal service in Dublin? to help treat a wasp nest in the garden or inside your home?

 

When to Contact Pest Control Experts for Wasp Treatment

There are times when a wasp nest might be located in hard-to-reach areas like a tall tree, on the roof, or inside the cavity of your floorboards or wall. If it is impossible for you to access the nest or you already tried the do-it-yourself options mentioned above, your best move is to contact The Wasp Specialist in Dublin and let them deal with the wasp infestation.
In case you or a member of your family has an allergy to wasps, it is also important to call a professional who can deal with your problem at the soonest time possible. Never attempt getting close to the wasps if you have an allergy to their sting.

 wasp sting allergy

Ways to Keep Wasps Out of Your Garden

After the successful removal of wasp infestation, you can do the following to keep these insects out of your home for good:

  1. Reduce potential sources of food by covering trash with a lid, regularly cleaning up crumbs or spills, and avoiding food and pet food left unattended for a long time.
  2. Seal off exposed points of entry, specifically in your attic, basement, and roofing and around door and window frames.
  3. Avoid the use of perfumes and heavily scented candles and sprays inside the house since these can attract these nectar-loving pests.
  4. If there are smaller roofed items in your backyard like birdhouses and dog kennels, use aluminium for covering below the roof’s exposed part.

Call The Wasp Specialist in Dublin: (01) 452 3680 

Email Us: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

or fill out the Online Form

 

Common wasps are insects that don’t like interacting with people but they can sting you if provoked. Wasp stings tend to be quite painful for everyone and worse, life-threatening to people with allergies. If you have confirmed or you suspect that there is a wasp problem in your Dublin home, there are several basic things you need to know about these nasty flying insects, together with tips on how to naturally get rid of wasps, how to check for wasp infestations, and more.

Appearance of Wasps

To clear things up, common wasps (vespula vulgaris) are not bees with bodies that are usually longer and more slender. They often feed on other insects like spiders, caterpillars, flies, and nectar. Wasps have two wings, six legs, an exoskeleton, two antennae on the head, and a body divided to three primary parts namely the head, abdomen, and thorax.
Unlike bees, female wasps can sting repeatedly because their stinger has tiny barbs that don’t stick into the skin. The stinger of a female wasp can be found at the lower body’s tip that also acts as a reproductive organ where the eggs are laid. On the other hand, male wasps cannot sting.

How Do Wasps Find Their Way into Your Yard or Home?

There are three primary elements that can make wasps attracted to build their nest in your yard or home and these include the following:

  • Plantlife and nectar-filled and sweet flowers
  • Ideal spots for nesting like soffits, gutters, and eaves that provide protection
  • Sources of food like pet food bowls, garbage bags, outdoor eating spots with sticky spills or crumbs, or an abundance of spiders or insects

Aside from the fact that their sting can be painful, wasps can also be a fatal risk to someone allergic to the injected venom. Usually, symptoms of a wasp sting can include localized pain, itching, swelling, and mild site at the location of the sting.

Checking for Wasps in Your House

If you see a significant number of wasps that fly around your yard or home, there is a big possibility that there is a wasp nest somewhere in your property. If you want to locate a wasp nest, try observing a wasp from a distance to see the direction it flies. Another method you can do is leave out some food like canned tuna or pet food that will lure the insects before you cautiously follow them back to their nest.

Pay extra attention to holes where they might be crawling from. You might be able to spot a visible nest attached to trees, plants, bushes, under eaves or windowsills, or under siding and other overhangs along your house and even your dog’s kennel.

Once you noticed wasps inside your house, you might want to observe them closely to know their points of entry and exit in your home and the possible location of their nest. Check your home for torn screens, cracks around door and window frames, and unsealed vents for any sign that these insects might already be getting in and out of your home without you knowing it.

How Long Does a Wasp Infestation Last?

Wasps tend to establish a brand new colony every spring. With the mild weather in Dublin, this can start as early as the beginning of April. It is also very rare for them to use their old nest again. This means that on average, it is safe to expect that wasp infestations can last for not more than one year. It is also common for wasp colonies to build a new nest beside an existing nest. This is the reason why you need to eliminate these insects together with their nests right after your see and confirmed an infestation.

Steps to Follow to Getting Rid of Wasps

If a wasp colony has decided to take up residence in your backyard or home, you might be wondering how you can immediately get rid of these stinging insects. The steps listed below will teach you how you can kill wasps with the use of a homemade wasp killer and how you can create a DIY wasp trap to get rid of them once and for all.

  1. Wear the right safety materials and appropriate clothing.
    Before you even attempt to approach a wasp nest, make sure you cover yourself up in a long-sleeved top, long pants, gloves, closed-toe shoes, and goggles or glasses for eye protection.
  2. Use a powerful vacuum on your carpets, floors, mattress, and furniture if wasps found their way from their nest to the inside of your home.
    You can use the vacuum’s crevice tool attachment for going over any cracks or tight spaces because these are the areas where wasps often hide. A vacuum with disposable bags can be used so you can simply discard the bag in the outdoor garbage can right after you use it. You will also need to temporarily plug the access hole(s) wasps are using to get in.

Eliminate the wasp infestation.

You can try to use any or all of the methods below for treating a wasp infestation.

  • Nest drenching
    Use an insecticide specifically made for wasps to completely and heavily saturate the nest with it. Depending on the accessibility of the nest, you can use a spray with a long nozzle or a handheld spray. Be careful of wasps as they fly out of their nest and spray each when they emerge. If you are that you already killed off, destroy the nest right away.
  • Nest dusting
    It is a method that makes use of dust or powder versions of wasp insecticide for covering the nest and eventually killing off the wasp colony. This method doesn’t have the same level of effectiveness as nest drenching although this option is safer because you just need to drop the powder over the wasp nest and simply walk away. However, take note that this will require reapplication and it may take weeks before you can kill off the entire colony.
  • DIY wasp tray
    If you are not keen on the idea of using insecticides, you can create a homemade wasp trap on your own. Get a 2-litre soda bottle and cut around the bottle’s neck right under the tape. Put the bait at the bottle’s bottom that can include something sweet like honey or jam or a protein like luncheon meat. Add a small amount of vinegar to your bait to ensure that bees don’t get attracted to your trap. Lastly, unscrew and remove the bottle cap before you flip the upper portion of the bottle upside down so you can tuck this into the bottle’s bottom part.

Natural Ways to Get Rid of Wasps

There are a lot of home remedies you can try to eliminate wasps with the use of all-natural ingredients. There are many chemical-free methods to keep wasps away and prevent them from going back such as putting herbs with strong smells, e.g. eucalyptus, citronella, thyme, or spearmint near your windows, on the patio, and around the backyard.

You can even formulate a wasp-repelling spray with the use of essential oils with one teaspoon each of clove oil, geranium essential oil, lemongrass oil and six cups of water. Mix the ingredients in a clean spray bottle and thoroughly spray this on the nest at night, which is a time when wasps tend to be less active. You can repeat the procedure until the wasps leave their nest for good.

If you want a natural way of killing wasps instead of merely sending them off, prepare a spray mixing a cup of water and 3 tablespoons of lemon extract. Saturate the wasp nest with this solution at night or you can also directly spray this on the wasp while wearing your protective clothing.

When to Contact Pest Control Experts for Wasp Treatment

There are times when a wasp nest might be located in hard-to-reach areas like a tall tree, on the roof, or inside the cavity of your floorboards or wall. If it is impossible for you to access the nest or you already tried the do it yourself options mentioned above, your best move is to contact The Wasp Specialist in Dublin and let them deal with the wasp infestation.
In case you or a member of your family has an allergy to wasps, it is also important to call a professional who can deal with your problem at the soonest time possible. Never attempt getting close to the wasps if you have an allergy to their sting.

 wasp sting allergy

Ways to Keep Wasps Out of Your Dublin Home

After the successful removal of wasp infestation, you can do the following to keep these insects out of your home for good:

  1. Reduce potential sources of food by covering trash with a lid, regularly cleaning up crumbs or spills, and avoiding food and pet food left unattended for a long time.
  2. Seal off exposed points of entry, specifically in your attic, basement, and roofing and around door and window frames.
  3. Avoid the use of perfumes and heavily scented candles and sprays inside the house since these can attract these nectar-loving pests.
  4. If there are smaller roofed items in your backyard like birdhouses and dog kennels, use aluminium for covering below the roof’s exposed part.

Call The Wasp Specialist in Dublin: (01) 452 3680 

Email Us: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

or fill out the Online Form

 

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