Removing a Yellow Jacket Nest in Wall

Wasps, in general, are very aggressive when it comes to defending their nests. But the most aggressive of them all is the hornets and yellow jackets. If you are confused how to distinguish them from the ordinary bees, then take a look at their waists. Yellow jackets always have thin waists, whereas the bees have thicker waists. They tend to fold their wings in a lengthwise manners when they take rest. Yellow jackets sting hard and can cause painful allergic reactions. Read on to know how to get rid of yellow jacket nests, how to prevent further infestations and how to make sure that they won’t come back to your area.

A Word Of Caution!
If you plan to trim your garden or maw the lawn, keep an eye on the yellow jacket nest first! Closely inspect the area without disturbing the surroundings. Start working only after you have ensured that there are no yellow jacket nests out there. In most cases, the sting can only cause temporary pain and swelling. In case you are allergic to the sting, then matters might get out of hand, and you will have to seek the help of a healthcare provider. So, where do yellow jackets nest? Usually, the yellow jackets nest in the wall of house, tree branches, and underground voids.

Identifying The Infested Area
How to find a yellow jacket nest in the wall? It might seem to be a cumbersome task. But, with proper planning, you can spot the nest easily and quickly. Here are some ways to identify the infested area:

• Listen!
  Use your ears! Listen closely near the walls and try to identify the sound of yellow jackets moving inside the walls. The yellow jacket nest in brick wall and dry areas. You can even use a device used for listening and locating sounds. Find the spot where the sound seems to be the loudest.
• Look!
  If you are not able to locate the nest by listening, try looking on the wall surfaces. Usually, the areas of infestation can be detected by looking out for shiny surfaces on the building wall. The yellow jackets can easily use the wall itself as the material for their nest. Hence, that leaves only a shiny layer of the paint on the wall surface.
• Spot The Entrance!
  After you have located the nest, the next task is to spot the entrance to it. Usually, the entrance will be about thirty feet (9.1 meters) away from the nest. In most cases, the entrance can be found in outdoor areas. Closely inspect the area for any holes on the surface and spot the entrance.

Getting Rid Of The Nest
Now after spotting the nest and entrance, next you might be wondering how to get rid of yellow jacket nest in wall. The nests inside the wall voids are a bit difficult to destroy when compared to the underground nests. Here are two ways by which getting rid of yellow jacket nests is made easy:

• Intrusive
  The intrusive method is one of the best ways for yellow jacket nest removal. In this, the wall is opened, and the nest is removed from it, the same way we remove honey bee nests. It can be a bit costly. But it is always worth the money spent. It is anyway better to remove the nest than suffer from the nest infestation inside your home. In most cases, you have to break open the ceiling or wall in which the yellow jacket has nested.
• Non-Intrusive
  Here, the process of removing yellow jacket nests is done by drilling into the wall infested with the yellow jackets. The wall is then filled up with pesticides. These pesticides kill yellow jacket nests and free the wall from the infestation. Here are some steps of the non-intrusive method:
• Step1
  In case the entrance to the nest is far away from it or difficult to be spotted, you can drill a hole into the affected wall. There is no need to drill a large hole. The hole can be a small one, enough to insert the nozzle of a can of pesticide spray. Try to drill the hole closer to the nest for better results.
• Step 2
  After drilling the hole, immediately spray an aerosol quick-freeze into it. Make sure you do it fast to prevent the yellow jackets from escaping through the hole or entrance. Keep spraying until you are sure that all the yellow jackets have been killed. In case the entrance to the nest is very near to the nest, then there is no need to drill any hole in the wall. You can directly spray it through the entrance.
• Step 3
  After eradicating the yellow jackets, seal up the hole you had drilled. Sealing is also equally important as it will prevent further yellow jacket infestations in the same area. Fill it up with mud or caulk and then secure it with thick tapes.

Points To Be Noted While Removing Yellow Jacket Nest In Wall Of House

So, now you know how to kill a yellow jacket nest. But there are some important points to remember while you get rid of yellow jacket nests:

• Leave the entrance hole to the nest open while you kill the nest. The yellow jackets can escape through the entrance hole easily. This ensures that all the yellow jackets have been eradicated from the nest.Even if one yellow jacket remains in the nest, it will surely find some way to enter the house and infest the wall. They can easily make use of the small holes usually found around the lights or electrical works.
• In case you observe any yellow jackets remaining in the nest after three days, then you can again repeat the above procedure to get rid of it. Keep an eye on any yellow jacket activity and listen to the sounds coming from it. Make sure you use protective wears while spraying into the nest.
• Usually, the nest is left inside the wall itself. We only remove the yellow jackets in it. But, if you wish to remove the nest as a whole, then it is better to get the services of an exterminator. In case the nest contains larvae of the yellow jacket, it can start rotting and lure other insects.

When Should You Call Exterminator?

The best answer on how to kill yellow jacket nest in walls is to call the exterminator. If you tried hard to find the yellow jacket nest, but all the efforts had gone vain; then it is better to ask for expert service. Also, sometimes you may not be able to get rid of the yellow jackets on your own. Sometimes you might be severely allergic to the yellow jacket stings. In such cases, it is better not to take a risk. An exterminator can do the job for you. They are experienced professionals and can do the task quickly and easily.

When To Delay The Removal Of Nest
It is always better to treat the yellow jacket nest during early summers. Ensure that you treat the nest before the yellow jackets grow into a large unmanageable colony. Colonies usually develop during summers. Hence, it is better you get rid of them before that. You can try evacuating the nest during night time. All the yellow jackets will be in the nest, and you can ensure that all of them are destroyed. If the yellow jackets have nested in some unused areas like the attics, then you can wait for a bit till the winters approach. Their life cycle naturally ends during winters.

Should I Remove The Nest Or Not?
Just like wondering how to kill yellow jacket nest, another doubt that most of the people have is how to decide whether to remove the nest or not after killing the yellow jackets. Usually, after the fall season, most of the yellow jacket workers die off naturally. Just a few of them will survive the cold winters. They become the queens in the next season. Another point to be noted is that yellow jackets don’t prefer reusing the nests. The new queens find another place to build the nest by the spring season.

• The Major Concerns Related To Nest Removal
  Removing a nest is hard work! It requires great effort and can be expensive too. Here are the two major concerns that can arise if the yellow jacket nest is left as it is in the wall voids:
• First Concern
  If there are yellow jacket larvae left in the nest, then it can start decaying and cause odor issues. The odor problems depend on the number of yellow jackets residing inside the nest at the time of removal. Usually, during mid summers and late summers, the nest is in its full capacity. Hence, if you had removed it during early summers, you might notice the odor during late summers. If the odor becomes unbearable, you can spray in some deodorants through the openings on the wall. Professionals usually vacuum the nest and ensure that there are less dead bodies left in the nest.
• Second Concern
  The next issue is when all the insects, ants, beetles, and silverfish creep into the nest to feed on the dead yellow jackets. It can be avoided by treating the nest with an insecticide that lasts long. The residual remaining of the insecticide will kill the invaders also. But, if the nest was evacuated using a less powerful insecticide that lasts for a short duration, then these invaders won’t be killed. In that case, it is better you seal the outside openings to prevent entry of other insects.

Preventive Methods And Some Extra Tips When You Decide How To Remove Yellow Jacket Nest

Prevention is always better than cure. You can prevent the yellow jacket infestation if you take care of a few factors:

• Secure The Garbage Cans
  Never leave your garbage cans open. The yellow jackets often get lured by food wastes. Hence, leaving an open garbage can is like inviting the yellow jackets into your household. Seal up the garbage cans using tight lids, both those used inside the house and outside the house.
• Never Leave Pet Food Outside
• Pet food can also lure the yellow jackets. Hence, never leave it outside. Make sure you store the pet food securely. Also, ensure that you dispose of the pet food remaining in the bowl after the pet has finished their meal.
• Seal Up The Exterior Holes
  Closely observe your surroundings. If you find any holes in your exterior walls, even if it is a small one; seal it immediately so that the yellow jackets won’t nest inside it. Check your vents, corner of doors, screens, and sidings for holes. These are places which often go unnoticed.
• Set Up Traps!
  You can also set up traps to catch the yellow jackets. In case you notice any yellow jacket flying around in your property, use a hanging trap to catch it. A hanging trap is set by using a sugar-based solution to lure the insects. The yellow jackets are lured inside a tiny hole. Once they are inside, they won’t be able to escape and will be left to die inside it.`

Extra Tips For Yellow Jackets Removal
Here are some extra tips that can help you:

• You can try using an insecticide powder to kill the insects. It is extremely useful as the yellow jackets get disoriented just by inhaling it. It also helps in preventing them from attacking you.
• Get a two-liter bottle orange soda, non-diet one. You can either drink or dump off the contents till the last 3 inches. Now drill 3 or 4 holes of size ¼ inches opposite to each other. The holes can be drilled near the top portion of the flat part on the side, below the dome curve. Now you can close the cap securely. The yellow jackets will be lured by the smell of the sugar and enter through those holes. But they won’t be able to find the way to get outside. Soon they will die inside the bottle.
• Get a foam spray used to remove wasps. It is better to use it at night. Direct it towards the hole and spray it into it.
• Find the holes inside the walls of your house and seal it. Now you can use an old shop vacuum in the exterior holes. Now use a strong yellow jacket killer spray. Make sure you wear protective clothes while you do it.
• Use vacuum cleaners with a bag attached to it. Use it on the hole openings and keep it working till the yellow jackets are sucked inside the bag.
• Use bait stations for yellow jackets. Place meat mixed with insecticides in it. The yellow jackets get lured by the sight of meat and get killed as soon as they consume it. It is better to use this method during the summer and spring seasons.
• If you are not able to locate the yellow jacket nest, you can try using yellow jacket traps. Use a piece of meat or fruit to lure the insect. It is better to place the trap at a place far from you. Meat can be used during the early seasons. Fruit juice is the best choice for fall and summer seasons.
• Find the holes in the exterior and interior sides of the wall. Then get a bottle of boric acid powder and pour it into these holes. It helps in plugging the holes.

Things You Should Not Do!

• Never seal the holes in the outside walls. When the outside holes get sealed, the yellow jackets won’t be able to get outside. So, instead, they will come into the house through any small opening they find in the inside walls.
• The DIY methods often involve getting close to the yellow jacket nests. This can be very dangerous. The yellow jackets might attack you as a group! Hence, always use protective gears when you go near the nests.
• Most of the solutions used to kill wasps won’t work on yellow jackets. Hence, buy a solution used to kill yellow jackets specifically from the store. Otherwise, you might keep spraying the solution, and the aggressive jackets will keep stinging you multiple times.

Get Set To Remove!
Now that you have got a clear idea about yellow jacket removal and preventive methods, you can proceed towards getting rid of the insects from your property. Never forget to seek immediate medical attention in case you get stung by an aggressive yellow jacket and has allergic reactions to it.