Wasp problem

Kashkai

During the past 4 weeks, I've found about 1 wasp in my house (its a bungalow) every 2/3 days despite the very cold weather outside. Lately, I've noticed them in my bedroom hallway and now I'm thinking that I have a nest in the attic and the warm air in the house is attracting them down from the attic. During the summer, I also noticed a few wasps entering and leaving through a small gap in an air vent in the soffit of my house, so I'm pretty sure that this is where they have set up home.

With 5 kids in the house sleeping in the "infected" area, I'm geting worried about the number of wasps showing up so do I call in a pest control company to do a search and destroy or should I try to find the nest myself first? Is therea cheaper alternative to the pest control boys, i.e. an electronic gizmo that will drive them away? Any advice or recommendations for pest control companies serving the Naas area will be appreciated.

steamengine

I had the same problem in a bungalow about 10 years ago. Briefly it turned out I had a nest in the attic twice the size of a football. But i didn't get to discover that until a year later after the wasps had gone.

I drilled a hole in the ceiling near where they were appearing. (They had been making their way down through a light fitting. ) With a screwdriver and a torch, I made sure I had a hole made up through the attic insulation. Then I bought few cans of wasp killer and sprayed them up through the hole over a period of week or so. I plugged the hole between sprays (obviously).

Also did the same spray routine from the outside soffit. I heard afterwards that a vacuum cleaner is ideal to catch them flying in and out of the hole also.

A pest control company would probably give you more peace of mind though ! Thats where I was headed, just thought it less hassle to give it a go first !

Martron

+1 on the vacuum cleaner . was in the states clearing a hornets nest. they have spray which fires jets like 6 foot.

anyway hoked up the vacuum and sucked those flying devils up and never had to go near them. i would however recommend that if you are going after them yourself. wrap up well. gloves and hood and glasses. wsps get angry.

gsxr1

would hate to think what would happen if you got a whole swarm angry.

what a horrible way to die.

Tight fisted as I am, I think i would have to call a pro. What if you set a big pot of vinegar in your attic. I think they are attracted to it and drown

cnocbui

You don't happen to be bringing in firewood from outside, by any chance?

Bubonic

No good for the attic but I had some in the garage.

I hosed them down until the next broke up and they went away. When I tried to hit the nest they knew it was me at the end of the stick.

With the hose they didn't cop at all that it was me with the water.

Kashkai

cnocbui wrote: »

You don't happen to be bringing in firewood from outside, by any chance?

Yes I am by the treeful but it gets burnt straight away and I don't leave any lying around. I'm fairly certain that they got in through the small hole in the soffit vent and made themselves at home. I'm surprised I never noticed them while I was up in the attic for hours running cables for my satellite system. Suppose I should be glad that I didn't disturb them as it would be fun trying to escape frm the attic with a swarm of wasps on my a$$ - NOT :eek:

cnocbui

Prosperous Dave wrote: »

Yes I am by the treeful but it gets burnt straight away and I don't leave any lying around. I'm fairly certain that they got in through the small hole in the soffit vent and made themselves at home. I'm surprised I never noticed them while I was up in the attic for hours running cables for my satellite system. Suppose I should be glad that I didn't disturb them as it would be fun trying to escape frm the attic with a swarm of wasps on my a$$ - NOT :eek:

So you don't bring in a pile of wood, and then burn it during the evening, you go outside and fetch each piece as you need it and put it straight on the fire?

I asked, because I have been having a similar problem - wasps appearing, seemingly from nowhere. What was happening was the wasps have secreted themselves in the wood outside in late autumn, to hibernate, and they then go dormant. I would bring the wood inside in the evening and then the heat of the house has woken the wasps from their hibernation and they have then started flying around.

I have taken to banging each piece of wood hard and inspecting it. I haven't managed to spot any, they are very good at hding, but a few have come loose with the banging.

Kashkai

Fair enough point about the firewood but I have my firewood in a box in teh sitting room at one end of my house whereas the wasps have been appearing in the bedroom hallway over 60feet away where I never have the firewood. Still think they are/did get in to the attic through the soffit vent and as I'll be putting up the christmas decorations tomorrow, I'll have a look around the attic for a nest. Could be the last you'll hear from me :eek::D

10-10-20

PD, I had a similar problem as yourself and the first responder.
Again a football sized nest in the soffit.
I treated it with wasp killer at the entrance and this dealt with the buggers. Then removed the nest from the attic space.

I'd firstly try and identify whether you actually have a nest at all. It may just be that you have a bunch of queens nesting alone. They are likely to have built the nest near the soffit, so I'd search there.
Also, if you can, capture a dead sample so that any pest-control expert can have a look at what's he's dealing with.

WHU

Hi all, I think we got a wasp problem in our sunroom and it's only March. I think they must have a nest in the roof section and coming in through the light fittings. The problem is the ceiling to outside roof tile is only as deep as a rafter so about 6 inches. Any ideas of how I can go about safely removing them...
Cheers in advance

Spanish Eyes

I sympathise with you all. I had them going in through a vent under the patio door. They were buzzing in and out all day and were nesting under the floor boards of the living room. Couldn't even hang the clothes on the line for fear.

Anyway, one night after having a few glasses of vino, googled it and went to battle. Bear in mind that I am female, with no bravado at all.

Bought wasp nest killer in Woodies. Got some tin foil. Dressed up like I had a burka on. Best time to do this is in the evening when they are going back to their beds, sorry nest.

I went out the back terrified, but determined to give it a go. Saw the blighters all zooming back to the vent under the door. When the numbers receded, I dived to the vent and puffed practically the whole bottle of wasp killer into the opening, plugged the slats of the vent with crumpled tin foil, I had industrial strength rubber gloves on. And ran like the clappers.

They were not seen again. I have to say I was really chuffed with myself, the great white hunter.

Don't know what I'd do if they were coming down from the attic. Probably emigrate.

Limestone1

I've dealt with a few wasps nests - attic, shed and garden. First thing you notice is that unlike bees they don't have thousands hanging around. Up to about 20 in a big fooball size nest is the most I've seen (* disclaimer I have no idea if that is normal or not ).
Get yourself the foam wasp killer with the jet spray and just fire away into the nest. Ideally if you can see the opening spray at that but even if you can't , the nest is paper thin and the spray will cut through it