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D-I-Why Not? – 4 Common Mistakes Made When Doing Your Own Wasp Treatment

When it comes to handling a wasp or hornet nest on your property, your first instinct may be to grab a can of over-the-counter pesticide and attempt to “take care of it” yourself.

 

There are a number of reasons we recommend leaving this to the professionals, and no – it’s not so we can take your money! Read on to see some of the most common reasons that people turn to Richland after a DIY-gone-wrong. 

1. Over-the-counter chemicals stain your home

Wasp and hornet spray purchased at the hardware store is generally oil based. These types of consumer sprays contain ingredients that are likely to stain your siding, concrete or other materials around your home. The chemicals that professionals use to treat wasps are not oil based, and will not stain your home. 

2. Sealing the entry point makes things worse

One big mistake people make when attempting a DIY wasp treatment is to seal up the entry point to the nest. This is usually done with expanding foam, concrete or some other building material. Sealing the entry point can actually create more issues than you previously had.

The wasps will try everything they can to get to their queen, which will likely result in them creating a secondary entry point to the nest. A second opening can cause more damage to the home, as well as create another point that needs treatment. 

In addition, the wasps that are sealed inside the home will ultimately try to find a way out, taking the path of least resistance to get there. This often leads to wasps appearing inside the home, usually entering through vents or light fixtures. 

3. Over-application of chemicals

If you want to help protect the environment, you should avoid using over-the-counter wasp spray. Our technicians go through proper training and testing to ensure they know how to read and understand the labels on the chemicals we apply. 

In addition, they receive instructions from a supervisor with years of experience. This means they know how to apply the chemical correctly, where to place it to receive the best results, and how much to use in order to effectively treat the nest.

Homeowners commonly stand at a distance of 15-20 feet away from a nest and spray away. Treating a nest in this manner causes over-spray, splatter and dripping of chemical. 

Our technicians can get within inches of the entry point, ensuring the chemical is applied only where it is needed, and nowhere else.

4. Unexpected damage to yourself, your home or your property

Some homeowners will go to extreme lengths to try to resolve wasp infestations on their own. However, without the proper knowledge, experience and equipment, they are liable to end up injuring themselves or inadvertently causing damage to their home. 

 

We’ve even heard of some non-traditional (and non-recommended!) treatments like fire, gasoline, metal stakes, or hockey sticks. 

 

Under no circumstances should you ever pour gasoline into the ground. This can poison the earth by spreading harmful chemicals into the water supply and damaging the ecosystem. 

 

It also goes without saying that it is a fire hazard.

A boy in a wasp suit standing on a porch.

These attempts can lead to house fires, burns, multiple stings, allergic reactions and more. Even when using over-the-counter chemicals that state they are for use on wasps or hornets, many people do not clearly read or follow the instructions. 

This can result in using chemicals in a poorly ventilated area, spraying the wrong part of the nest making the treatment ineffective, or using much more chemical than is actually necessary.

Why trust the experts?

Richland has over 45 years of experience handling these types of pest problems. Our technicians come prepared to effectively treat your wasp or hornet nest. In addition, we remove as much of the nest as we safely can, and do it all without causing harm to you or your home. 

As Benjamin Franklin once said, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” So if you’re looking to prevent these infestations from happening in the first place, contact us about our annual Bee Barrier application. 

Our Bee Barrier prevention service is done in the beginning of the nesting season in spring and early summer. Carpenter bees and wasps are repelled by this treatment on wood, aluminum and vinyl structures. 

A safe liquid treatment is applied in localized areas that are most likely to be impacted by wood destroying insects. By using a localized treatment, we are able to avoid areas that are attractive to pollinators. This service comes with a guarantee* through the rest of the calendar year on any nests that form on or within the structure of your home. 

BeeBarrier Logo | Richland Pest & Bee Control

* The Bee Barrier guarantee does not include ground nests, or nests built in trees or shrubs surrounding the home, as those areas are not treated during the initial application. We cannot prevent bees, wasps or hornets from flying into your yard, our goal is to stop them from nesting on your home. 

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