Indoor Pest Control - Wasps in walls?
Doityourself.com community forum was created to provide answers to all questions related to home improvement and home repair. Doityourself community can help you find information about how-to topics on small fixes to large remodeling projects. With comprehensive how-to content and expertly moderated community forums DoItYourself.com makes it easy to tackle even the most complex home improvement projects.View Full Version : Wasps in walls?
wfg97079
09-13-09, 03:12 PM
Hi,
Since about the end of July we have had a few wasps show up in the house, usually our cats find them and kill them. Well today was a very warm day in Massachusetts after alot of rain yesterday and I finally found where they are all coming from. There is a gap behind a light on the front of my house and they are very active today so I can see them coming and going. The scar part is that the switch for that light is inside the house and if you put your ear near it you can hear them buzzing in there. They are clearly nesting in the wall. Any thoughts on what I should do? Im getting some advice that when its this far into the season to just wait for a freeze to kill them off. Does that sound reasonable? Im afraid to take the switchplate off for fear of them pouring out of the opening. Ive heard spraying into a wall cavity can be bad because of the moisture. Im also heard that letting them die is fine but you should really get into the wall and clean out all the dead ones. Anyone have any advice? The buzzing is unnerving my wife :)
Since about the end of July we have had a few wasps show up in the house, usually our cats find them and kill them. Well today was a very warm day in Massachusetts after alot of rain yesterday and I finally found where they are all coming from. There is a gap behind a light on the front of my house and they are very active today so I can see them coming and going. The scar part is that the switch for that light is inside the house and if you put your ear near it you can hear them buzzing in there. They are clearly nesting in the wall. Any thoughts on what I should do? Im getting some advice that when its this far into the season to just wait for a freeze to kill them off. Does that sound reasonable? Im afraid to take the switchplate off for fear of them pouring out of the opening. Ive heard spraying into a wall cavity can be bad because of the moisture. Im also heard that letting them die is fine but you should really get into the wall and clean out all the dead ones. Anyone have any advice? The buzzing is unnerving my wife :)
GregH
09-13-09, 04:20 PM
Wasps can be dangerous and freeze up is a while away.
I personally would try to get rid of them because you will be faced with the prospect of the grubs emerging as more wasps before the nest dies off.
Wasps in cavities are difficult to deal with and a pest control company might be advisable.
DIY wasp removal is not too difficult where you can spray an expanding pesticide foam directly into the nest opening but the entrance you have behind the light would require you to remove the light fixture and try to spray this foam into the space.
What you have to be prepared for is while removing the light fixture you could disturb the nest and trigger a mass defense.
Also, if you have a means for the wasps to get into the house from the nest space then you need to block these gaps and/or get everybody out of the house.
Honestly, I would suggest you hire a pro for this one.
I personally would try to get rid of them because you will be faced with the prospect of the grubs emerging as more wasps before the nest dies off.
Wasps in cavities are difficult to deal with and a pest control company might be advisable.
DIY wasp removal is not too difficult where you can spray an expanding pesticide foam directly into the nest opening but the entrance you have behind the light would require you to remove the light fixture and try to spray this foam into the space.
What you have to be prepared for is while removing the light fixture you could disturb the nest and trigger a mass defense.
Also, if you have a means for the wasps to get into the house from the nest space then you need to block these gaps and/or get everybody out of the house.
Honestly, I would suggest you hire a pro for this one.