How to get rid of a wasp nest naturally? There’s one hanging near my front door.
Lori Thomas, Edison, NJ
Getting rid of hornets can be a tricky business and particularly dangerous if you are allergic to their venom. Honestly, the safest way how to get rid of a wasp nest is to call professional exterminators. But on the other hand, it’s cheaper to do it yourself as long as you plan to stay safe and take certain precautions.
Before you take any action, plan an escape route and ensure that you’re wearing as much protective clothing as possible. Keep children and pets indoors and out of the way. You may also want to take down the nest at night when the wasps are dormant.
To get rid of yellow jackets naturally, just plain soap and water will be enough to suffocate wasps and destroy their nest. Add two tablespoons of liquid soap to a spray bottle filled with warm water.
To get rid of wasps, soak the nest and give it time to work. Or a safer method might be to use a garden hose with a detergent attachment. This gives you more distance from the nest and time to get out of the way quickly.
Before you cut the grass the first time each spring, walk your yard and inspect it closely to see if you have any ground bee nests. The best way to get rid of hornets nest in ground areas is with soap and hot water.
Should you find a wasp nest in the ground, use soapy water to drown the wasps. Mix up a gallon of boiling or very hot water with some dish soap until it is combined well.
For getting rid of ground bees, quickly pour the liquid into the hole, then cover it with a heavy item, being sure to cover the entrance completely. This natural wasp killer is highly effective and doesn’t take long to take effect. It’s better to tackle this problem at night when the bees are not as active.
Some homeowners have success with a similar method. They cover the nest with a cloth bag, then submerge it in a bucket of water with a heavy rock on top.
To make a natural deterrent for wasps, you could also smoke out the wasps. Place your grill with a lit fire underneath the nest and plenty of material to create smoke. Let the smoke rise for at least an hour, but longer is better. Observe the nest for a little while to ensure you killed most of the insects. Spray the nest thoroughly with soapy water to kill any remaining wasps and wait a few hourse before you take down the nest.
To keep wasps from coming back, deter wasps from building nests by hanging fake nests in areas where they had built ones before and that you removed. Spray likely areas for nest building with a vinegar and water solution so the bees will go elsewhere to make their homes.
Further tips regarding wasps: how to get rid of yellow jackets naturally.