Hornet/ Wasp Problem..

RoninB4 · Apr 15, 2025

-To avoid using bug sprays I've always used Dawn dishwashing liquid mixed as a strong soapy solution for wasps, hornets, and ants. I use a spray bottle and test it on one. If it doesn't curl up and start to die within 10 seconds then I need more Dawn in the solution.

In the foothills of eastern Tennessee I get a lot of different types of hornets and wasps building nests under the eaves of my porch. None of them ever bother me except the red ones and some giant hornet (European?) which are both very aggressive. Even the types that build next to the front door don't threaten me so I leave them all alone. The ants are a constant battle for who owns the house. Creatures seeking to build nests inside the walls of the house do need immediate attention/eradication before it gets out of hand.

Hohn · Apr 15, 2025

green manalishi said:
Some pictures of what I am dealing with. Not sure what these things are exactly...

Here's what it looks to me like you have:

Polybia occidentalis - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Camoandi or "yellow-banded paper wasp."

Looks for a nest like this:

They feed on carbohydrates and nectar sources.

There's a nest nearby, almost certainly in your structure somewhere.

green manalishi · Apr 15, 2025

Torque&Recoil said:
I'm no entymologist, but isn't that a paper wasp? Very common around here. As previously mentioned, Spectracide Pro is very effective. I got my last couple of cans from Home Depot. Or just use any "wasp spray". You just want a powerful spray so you don't get close to the nest, and ideally (like Spectracide Pro) something that keeps killing the loners who eventually return to the nest. They usually build large "paper" nests that hang under the eaves, but I have known them to crawl inside cracks in siding and make their nest in there.

Unfortunately in Canada, we can't get spectracide, as it is part of what is a banned pesticide here. In fact, most of what we can get kinda ***** from what I have read

rlitman said:
Great pictures. You have Northern paper wasps. These form an upside-down umbrella shaped hanging nest with cells exposed from underneath. Very easy to kill with sprays from below if you can reach them. These don't nest in your walls, though they can take advantage of openings in eves to make nests hidden between rafters. Look up under overhangs.

What's cold stunned or just resting on the floor, stomp. I like to use a bug zapping racket, though that can piss them off, so I use mine while wearing a bee suit.

I'm wondering if they're getting in through some opening, seeking a light source and now trapped, end up on your floor. They don't tend to nest indoors, but if you have some vents up high that aren't screened, they can work their way inside.

They have a good sting, but they're also not all that easily agitated and they're pretty easy to kill, so they're not the worst problem to have.

Thank you again for your response. I get the feeling you are well versed in pest control, so I appreciate your input. I was out in the garage last night and killed 3 more. Seems once I turned the lights on, they appeared. When I got home from work, I did another very thorough walk around the shop, looking up and down trying to find a nest of what may look like it, but nothing, which is why I keep thinking they may be inside the rafters behind the insulation. Is it too early still to find a nest? Or would they have started making them already? The sooner I can destroy them, the better lol

BurtEggley said:
could be drone males dying after mating. You will be looking for these shortly

So that is what I initially thought was a hornet or yellowjacket. I have killed about 4 of what you have pictured so far, and the rest have all been what I posted pictures of. Those females (I am assuming that's a female in the picture) are larger than what I have posted. The ones I posted where what I thought was black and red, but clearly I was wrong as they just have a reddish tinge to them overall

green manalishi · Apr 15, 2025

M.Brane said:
Sure looks like a paper wasp to me too.

Where I grew up (inland SoCal) we had wasps/hornets that would make huge nests in the open eaves of buildings. I can remember throwing rocks at one as a dumb kid, and getting chased down. Dumb.

Have since learned that you kill the wasps, but don't destroy the nests. They won't come back to an empty nest. The wasp spray works well. So does Brakeclean or carb cleaner. Even straight alcohol.

Good to know...so kill them, but leave the empty nest. Im guessing that leaving the nest then somewhat acts like a deterrent essentially.

Hohn said:
Here's what it looks to me like you have:

Polybia occidentalis - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Camoandi or "yellow-banded paper wasp."

Looks for a nest like this:

They feed on carbohydrates and nectar sources.

There's a nest nearby, almost certainly in your structure somewhere.

I'm going to keep looking...I know they are somewhere, but not flying yet for me to track just from where.

rlitman · Apr 15, 2025

green manalishi said:
Unfortunately in Canada, we can't get spectracide, as it is part of what is a banned pesticide here. In fact, most of what we can get kinda ***** from what I have read

Thank you again for your response. I get the feeling you are well versed in pest control, so I appreciate your input. I was out in the garage last night and killed 3 more. Seems once I turned the lights on, they appeared. When I got home from work, I did another very thorough walk around the shop, looking up and down trying to find a nest of what may look like it, but nothing, which is why I keep thinking they may be inside the rafters behind the insulation. Is it too early still to find a nest? Or would they have started making them already? The sooner I can destroy them, the better lol...

I think you have been misled. While Canada has very tight restrictions on pesticides, it is not an all out ban. You are just limited to registered products, and there are plenty of wasp sprays allowed, which work IF you can see the nest (keep a can on hand).

Sprays can't go around corners, but dusts can, and Delta Dust (the best product for this) is registered in Canada. You blow the dust into crevices and the cloud travels quite far before settling out, leaving long-term insect protection behind.

Pesticide Label Search - Health Canada

green manalishi · Apr 15, 2025

rlitman said:
I think you have been misled. While Canada has very tight restrictions on pesticides, it is not an all out ban. You are just limited to registered products, and there are plenty of wasp sprays allowed, which work IF you can see the nest (keep a can on hand).

Sprays can't go around corners, but dusts can, and Delta Dust (the best product for this) is registered in Canada. You blow the dust into crevices and the cloud travels quite far before settling out, leaving long-term insect protection behind.

Pesticide Label Search - Health Canada

I have the sprays, and have used them before for 2 wasp nests at my last home. Since I can't see the nest, the Delta dust sounds like a good option, but I can't seem to find it for sale, so I imagine I would have to be licensed to get it.

rlitman · Apr 15, 2025

green manalishi said:
I have the sprays, and have used them before for 2 wasp nests at my last home. Since I can't see the nest, the Delta dust sounds like a good option, but I can't seem to find it for sale, so I imagine I would have to be licensed to get it.

Ok, well this is close:

https://www.amazon.ca/Professional-Ant-and-Roach-Dust/dp/B08BLW59XK

Pyrethrin should work about as well short-term, but doesn't have as good a residual effect as deltamethrin. It's also not as waterproof, but that's not a problem for your purposes.

RalphInCA · Apr 15, 2025

If the number of wasps hunting for nesting opportunities around my property here in Oregon Wine Country (Willamette Valley) is any indication, 2025 will be a bad year.

The war is on

metalmagpie · Apr 15, 2025

Google Lens will ID your bug in a few seconds.

I have a very different approach to wasps. I leave them alone and they leave me alone. They are carnivorous and eat all kinds of bugs you don't want like aphids on your fruit trees for example. When you start with the death sprays you have to then kill the other species that the first one was controlling. I've lived in this house 25 years and have never been stung.

green manalishi · Apr 16, 2025

rlitman said:
Ok, well this is close:

https://www.amazon.ca/Professional-Ant-and-Roach-Dust/dp/B08BLW59XK
Pyrethrin should work about as well short-term, but doesn't have as good a residual effect as deltamethrin. It's also not as waterproof, but that's not a problem for your purposes.

I am going to bookmark that product. I'm going to give it another week before I decide what I should do. Thank you for all of your assistance and input. I'm really just hoping the ones I am finding in the garage are remnants from last year, and that since they never reuse a nest, maybe they will create one elsewhere besides somewhere INSIDE the shop...

metalmagpie said:
Google Lens will ID your bug in a few seconds.

I have a very different approach to wasps. I leave them alone and they leave me alone. They are carnivorous and eat all kinds of bugs you don't want like aphids on your fruit trees for example. When you start with the death sprays you have to then kill the other species that the first one was controlling. I've lived in this house 25 years and have never been stung.

Oh that's cool, didn't know it would do that.

As for the wasps, I was stung about 12 years ago and ended up in the hospital with an allergy I didn't know I had, and an EpiPen for future (which I never carried around). I've always been of the same mentality as you, although I do find they seem to be attracted to me (the yellowjacket types anyways). I noticed ALOT in the shop towards the end of last season, so my concern is two fold since I want to be able to work without being stung or having them in my face since if the nest is in the shop, and I am in there, I may be seen as a threat? My biggest concern though is my toddler son, since he loves to come out to the shop, and also run around the outside area when not inside, and he really does not yet understand to leave them alone or not swat at them, and the last thing I want to find out is that he is allergic like his father...

Anyways, a lot of GREAT advice in this thread. I appreciate all who have offered advice and experience on what I may be up against and possible solutions

racecougar · Apr 16, 2025

b-boy said:
Now - if anyone has a way to get rid of carpenter bees, I'd love to hear about it.

Tempo mixed with petroleum jelly. It works very well.

For deterrence, hanging brown paper bags under eaves of buildings to imitate hornet nests works decently well, too.

clutchee · Apr 16, 2025

Try a product called Talstar, I spray under the eves of house and around. Seems to keep things under control and wasp from not nesting.

Uncle murph · Apr 16, 2025

green manalishi said:
Good to know...so kill them, but leave the empty nest. Im guessing that leaving the nest then somewhat acts like a deterrent essentially.

I'm going to keep looking...I know they are somewhere, but not flying yet for me to track just from where.

Just a word of warning ,the dopey ones love to craw on handles or just about anything left on the floor,usually on the bottom so you or your children won’t know they are there until after you have been stung.As for the leave them alone bit,it’s pure nonsense,never pass up a chance to kill them.

rlitman · Apr 16, 2025

Uncle murph said:
Just a word of warning ,the dopey ones love to craw on handles or just about anything left on the floor,usually on the bottom so you or your children won’t know they are there until after you have been stung.As for the leave them alone bit,it’s pure nonsense,never pass up a chance to kill them.

I've gotten stung a few times like that. Taking out a recycling bin with one hiding under the rim right where I picked it up. Another in a crease in the top of a knotted trash bag I was taking to the curb. At dusk, if they haven't returned to the nest, they find a protected spot to shelter.

green manalishi · Apr 17, 2025

racecougar said:
Tempo mixed with petroleum jelly. It works very well.

For deterrence, hanging brown paper bags under eaves of buildings to imitate hornet nests works decently well, too.

Can't get tempo dust in Canada, and my luck with those brown paper bags at my last place did nothing with wasps unforuntately.

clutchee said:
Try a product called Talstar, I spray under the eves of house and around. Seems to keep things under control and wasp from not nesting.

Also can't get that in Canada...

Uncle murph said:
Just a word of warning ,the dopey ones love to craw on handles or just about anything left on the floor,usually on the bottom so you or your children won’t know they are there until after you have been stung.As for the leave them alone bit,it’s pure nonsense,never pass up a chance to kill them.

Thank you for the reminder. The other day they were under the hood of one of the cars in the garage on various parts of the engine. I mean, I would leave them alone but they pretty much NEVER leave me alone lol. So yea, I am game to "Kill em all"

racecougar · Apr 17, 2025

green manalishi said:
Can't get tempo dust in Canada, and my luck with those brown paper bags at my last place did nothing with wasps unforuntately.

It won't deter wasps. I was answering the Carpenter Bee question.

PelicanPines · Apr 17, 2025

If you ever go up against a Cow Killer wasp.... Remember this... It got its name from the PAIN it can inflict...

racecougar · Apr 17, 2025

Yep, we have those here. Don't mess with the wingless females (below)! The males have wings, but no stinger.

Kaizen · Apr 17, 2025

ya'll have sewer wasps? I have them on my patio every year. Only one or two huge wasps. Seem solitary species. Saw one carrying a full grown grasshopper in the air. i was impressed.

rlitman · Apr 17, 2025

Kaizen said:
ya'll have sewer wasps? I have them on my patio every year. Only one or two huge wasps. Seem solitary species. Saw one carrying a full grown grasshopper in the air. i was impressed.

Sounds like a cicada killer. Yes, solitary and hardly able to sting you. The ones you see buzzing around are males (who don't even have stingers). The female pretty much only digs holes, hunts for cicadas and lays eggs, so your sighting of one was pretty neat.

txvwnut · Apr 18, 2025

Since the OP is limited on what chemical he can get for eradication brake clean works pretty damn good. I've taken out several nests with it, although I think I might give the Dawn dish soap mixture a try.

racecougar · Apr 18, 2025

txvwnut said:
Since the OP is limited on what chemical he can get for eradication brake clean works pretty damn good. I've taken out several nests with it, although I think I might give the Dawn dish soap mixture a try.

I'm not sure you can even get decent brake parts cleaner in Canada.

E-RX7 · Apr 20, 2025

If they're in holes, dump your choice of gas or oil down there. Contrary to what some think, adding flames is not required, the fumes/liquid will be enough to kill them.

If they're in the fascia/between the gutters/whatever nook that's elevated, use that Sevin dust they sell in garden centers. **** works wonders, it's like a disease that you'll inflict on one and it will spread to the others and throughout the whole nest.

lolaetype · Apr 20, 2025

kj_mustang said:
Yellow Jackets will build large nests in the ground. Look for a hole in the ground near the building and watch for activity.

We had those at out last house. They discovered me, or I discovered them, when I was using a weed eater. Apparently the sound and vibrations piss them off. I ran about 150 feet away and waited an hour or so for them to settle down. Then I crept up to where they got me and watched for activity. I'd occasionally see one go into a small hole in the ground. I went to the garage and made a strong batch of insecticide, about 6 oz. in a 2 gallons of hot water. I poured half of it down the hole and stood back to watch the show. After about a minute choking-dying wasps poured out of the hole like lava out of a volcano. After a bit, seeing no flying wasps, I stuck a funnel in the hole and poured the rest of the mixture down the hole. That took care of them.

At this house I walked into the detached garage a couple of Augusts ago and noticed maybe 50-60 wasps in the garage. I immediately retreated and bought three boxes of insect bombs. I set four cans off in the garage and watched through a window. Suddenly it was raining dying wasps in there. After they were removed I got on a ladder, opened the access hatch to the crawl space between the ceiling and roof and set off four more bombs. Later I saw where some were flying around confused at a certain spot around the eves of the garage. I drenched that area with insecticide in a hose-on sprayer. Problem solved.

dougf · Apr 21, 2025

These are the ones I'm dealing with, along with the tan/red variety. Nothing stops them, and I'm about to buy a mini split so I can keep the doors closed in the summer it's so bad. That's my apple watch for a size comparison, 1.5". I'll kill 20-30 an evening between my shop and covered porch.

racecougar · Apr 21, 2025

dougf said:
These are the ones I'm dealing with, along with the tan/red variety. Nothing stops them...

There are many products on the market that stop paper wasps here in MO.

dougf · Apr 21, 2025

I'll take another look at whats available. I'm not sure anything is going to stop them from swarming in every evening, but you never know...

rlitman · Apr 21, 2025

dougf said:
These are the ones I'm dealing with, along with the tan/red variety. Nothing stops them, and I'm about to buy a mini split so I can keep the doors closed in the summer it's so bad. That's my apple watch for a size comparison, 1.5". I'll kill 20-30 an evening between my shop and covered porch.

That is an Eastern Cicada Killer. Do you have large sand patches? The females burrow a hole in bare ground (they don't like to burrow under rocks or grass), land on the back of a cicada, paralyze it, lay their eggs in it, and bury them in the pre-dug hole. Then repeat the process. The males (who don't have stingers) mostly hang around the holes waiting to inseminate females.

The point being, cicada killers are huge, but don't sting. And if you look around for patches of bare earth with tiny amounts of excavation, you may have found the nesting grounds.

green manalishi · Apr 22, 2025

So to update, this past Friday was quite warm here, and I noticed a few of them crawling around the garage, still kinda stunned. Then I just so happened to notice what appeared to be dust on the hood of one of the cars, looked up and saw one of the electrical outlets in the ceiling had about 5-6 of them crawling out of it...So I grabbed the one can of one shot wasp killer foam I had left from the last house, laid some cardboard out on top of the car, and fogged the hell outta the outlet where they were- I dropped about 9-10 of them, but some I had to foam 2 or 3 times to kill them. Went back in yesterday (Monday) and used a long broom to beat the hell outta the outlet to see if they were still up there or I could aggravate them, but nothing. I am thinking it was just too cold for them still, since it did cool down again.

I am picking up a large pump sprayer this week, and I ordered some permethrin. One evening this week I am planning to cut a hole in the insulation and fog up in the attic, somewhere near the outlet where they were. I am hoping I will be close to the nest, but not so close that when I open the insulation I have the nest above my head...

CoogarXR · Apr 22, 2025

If you're ever in a hurry and want wasps out of the garage, my trick is to turn all the lights off and open the garage door. They fly right out 100% of the time. I just had to do that 10 minutes ago, lol. My garage has no windows, so when I turn the lights off it's pitch-black. They fly right for the light when the door goes up.

I have a capped-off wood burner hole in the siding that is rotting a little. I bet they are coming in the gaps between that and the grooves in the T1-11 siding.

Stick-man · Apr 23, 2025

I have an abundance of Tennessee red wasps. I keep chlorinated brake cleaner cans all over and it will drop them pretty quick. As I find all of their little nests, I assassinate them like I am in the Predator fire fight scene!

RalphInCA · Apr 30, 2025

I’ve got the wasps under control, only now we have ants indoors.

And our house is scrupulously clean!

It’s a never-ending battle.

Back to the Lowe’s for ant traps/spray.

M.Brane · Apr 30, 2025

Ants. They are small, but they are many, and they are relentless.

captaindiode · Apr 30, 2025

For ants, use the borate baits. They will carry it back to the nest and kill the whole colony.

M.Brane · Apr 30, 2025

I've had good results with Terro traps, and diatomaceous earth.

txvwnut · May 1, 2025

For ants we've been pouring boiling water on the mounds. Not sure how deep the hot water gets but the mound disappears in a day.

Carchie · Monday at 3:25 PM

green manalishi said:
So last summer when purchasing our new house, with a 24x28 shop in the back, I noticed a lot of yellow and black hornets/wasps (bigger than the standard yellow jacket, and also some black and red ones) buzzing around the shop area and back of the house...I really just assumed that they were kind of normal for the area we had moved too. Fast forward to this March, and I go out to the shop, and find a whole bunch (about 10) scattered across the floor of the garage or on the cars- they seemed dormant, like in that winter sleep they go into, or maybe they were dead. Anyways, I collected them, took em outside, and stomped em into oblvion thinking maybe it was no big deal, just a coincidence a few were in there. We lost power with a storm a few weeks back and I havent been out to the shop for a while, I go out there 2 days ago and find about another 15 of them again all over the shop and the cars, mixed between the black and yellow and black and red ones, and some are slowly moving/waking up, so I do the same routine of collect and kill.

I cleaned the shop gutters out last weekend since they needed it badly, hoping I would find a nest on the outside, but nothing. I have looked all along the ground, as I am wondering if these are the type that make ground nests outside (I don't really know what species these things are, and I have looked at pictures), but can't seem to find anything. The inside of the shop has fibreglass insulation, and vapor barrier, but that's about it- only part of the shop was covered with drywall, then they stopped, and none on the ceiling was done.

Wondering what my options are, as my concern is they have somehow made it through the vapor barrier and insulation and there is a nest somewhere I cannot see in the walls or ceiling. I was planning to get some drywall up to finish the shop, while also working on the cars, and now I am shifting my concerns to this as my 2 year old son likes to come out there with me a lot while also simultaneously playing in the shaded area next to the shop (where these pests seem to be hanging around) and I don't think its quite safe at this point. Has anybody dealt with this kind of thing before? Is my best bet to call a pest control company? Or are they not going to be able to do much for me?

Because this was posted a while back, those wasps have likely established a colony by now. They will just keep coming back every year, and fiberglass is a prime nesting site for them. To give you an idea, instead of just sealing the drywall and hoping they don't chew through, I hired All Solutions Pest Control to do a preventative barrier spray around my outbuildings. It's a lot more effective.

adsinnott1 · Monday at 3:51 PM

green manalishi said:
So to update, this past Friday was quite warm here, and I noticed a few of them crawling around the garage, still kinda stunned. Then I just so happened to notice what appeared to be dust on the hood of one of the cars, looked up and saw one of the electrical outlets in the ceiling had about 5-6 of them crawling out of it...So I grabbed the one can of one shot wasp killer foam I had left from the last house, laid some cardboard out on top of the car, and fogged the hell outta the outlet where they were- I dropped about 9-10 of them, but some I had to foam 2 or 3 times to kill them. Went back in yesterday (Monday) and used a long broom to beat the hell outta the outlet to see if they were still up there or I could aggravate them, but nothing. I am thinking it was just too cold for them still, since it did cool down again.

I am picking up a large pump sprayer this week, and I ordered some permethrin. One evening this week I am planning to cut a hole in the insulation and fog up in the attic, somewhere near the outlet where they were. I am hoping I will be close to the nest, but not so close that when I open the insulation I have the nest above my head...

I found a mud dauber nest inside of an electrical box in my detached shop ceiling a few years back. Only way they could have gotten into the box was through an eave and into the little hole you punch out for the romex to pass through...

CJM8515 · Monday at 5:10 PM

had this issue in the basement of the last house. seems like i had both german and some sorta hornets. worked well was using one of them electric tennis racket flyswatters. but you can only kill so many. i then watched outside a week later at dusk they mainly were going into a poorly siliconed hole for the gas line. expanding foam in the wall and underside in the basement and that was the end of them.

Burt Shaver · Monday at 5:17 PM

I’m in eastern Ontario and last year was terrible for hornets and wasps, I really don’t know the difference but you get the idea. I killed roughly 6 nests last year, looking like they are going to bad again this year, so I’m interested to read this thread and see what the solution is

Hornet/ Wasp Problem..

Well-known member

Well-known member

Active member

Active member

Well-known member

Active member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Active member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Active member

Well-known member

ALLIANCE MEMBER

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Attachments

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Active member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

ALLIANCE MEMBER

Well-known member

ALLIANCE MEMBER

Well-known member

Member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member