Key Takeaways
- DIY yellowjacket control is possible, but the risk of getting stung is high. You can reduce the risk by creating a plan and taking precautions.
- Yellowjacket nests are typically found in the ground, in tree or structural voids, or in the air. They will also sometimes nest in your walls.
- If you have yellowjackets in your walls, call a wasp exterminator. This is a job for a professional.
Are you noticing an increase in yellow jacket activity on your property? Are you thinking about taking on a DIY remedy? Before you get started, there are a few things you should know. Yellowjackets are aggressive and can be dangerous if not handled properly. Not only that, there are ways to make a yellowjacket problem worse through ineffective treatment. For example, you can split a colony up and send them scattering to different parts of your house and/or property, so they’re much harder to eliminate.
That’s why, if you have yellowjackets, we recommend you have a clear plan and know what you’re doing. If not, this is 100% a job you should leave to a professional yellowjacket exterminator.
How to Get Rid of a Yellowjacket Nest
Keep in mind – the yellowjackets are not going to be happy about this. As soon as you start spraying, they’ll go on defense and attempt to sting any perceived threat, and that means you. You can’t control this, but there are two other important factors you can control that can reduce your risk of getting stung: what time you take down the nest and the clothes you wear.
What’s the Best Time of Day to Take Down a Yellowjacket Nest?
To catch them at their weakest, you need to strike at night or very early dawn. Yellowjackets are most active during the day. Three reasons nighttime or before sunrise are best include:
- Yellowjackets don’t see well in the dark.
- Most of the colony will be in the nest at this time, meaning you can get most of them in one fell swoop.
- It’s cooler in the night and pre-dawn hours, and yellowjackets don’t fly as quickly when it’s cold.
What Should You Wear When Taking Down a Yellowjacket Nest?
Now that you’ve committed to a time, think about what you’ll wear when you do this. Even if you catch the yellowjackets off-guard, this is not an activity for shorts and sandals.
- Dress in thick fabrics and long sleeves. Consider layering. Tuck your socks into your pants. Wear gloves. You don’t want any exposed skin.
- Wear comfortable athletic shoes so you can move quickly if you need to.
- If it’s dark (and we recommend you do this when it is), use a flashlight with a red light filter. Yellowjackets don’t see red light.
How to Get Rid of Underground Nests
There are two main approaches to this.
- Insecticide dust: Puff the dust directly into the hole. The foragers will carry it deep into the queen’s chamber as they enter and exit.
- The bowl method: This is a slower method but some people prefer it for how simple it is. Place a bowl over the nest exit hole and push dirt toward the edges to “seal” it so yellowjackets can’t come or go. Continue monitoring the bowl throughout the day. If yellowjackets are getting in or out, reset it so they can’t. It will take about one to two weeks for the nest to fully die off.
How to Get Rid of Aerial Yellowjacket Nests
There’s one main way to do this – spraying a wasp insecticide directly into the nest. Here’s what you should know about it.
- Use a long-range wasp spray (some reach 20 feet). Aim for the opening at the bottom of the nest, spray into it thoroughly, then soak the rest of the exterior.
- Do not use water! Hosing down a nest just makes them angry and wet. It won’t kill the colony.
The WORST Ways to Get Rid of Yellowjackets - Don’t Even Think About It
Throughout our many years of solving wasp, hornet, and yellowjacket problems for the people of NJ & PA, we’ve heard about some “poorly thought out” ideas. If you’re considering doing DIY yellowjacket removal, here’s what NOT to do:
- Don’t use gasoline to try to destroy a wasp nest: We really shouldn’t have to explain why you shouldn’t do this. Let’s just say that while wasps can be dangerous, they’re nowhere near as bad as a giant fireball that burns down your house.
- Don’t use ammonia and bleach poured into the nest entrance: This is also EXTREMELY DANGEROUS.
- Don’t pour boiling water into the entrance of the nest: This is both dangerous and will not necessarily kill all the yellowjackets.
- Don’t use a general purpose bug spray like Raid or similar: Make sure you use an insecticide designed for wasps specifically (yellowjackets are a kind of wasp). General pest sprays are likely to anger the wasps without killing them.
- Don’t use a baseball bat or other blunt object to take down an aerial wasp nest: You will not kill a lot of wasps by doing this, but you will guarantee they’re all very angry.
- Don’t try to solve a yellowjacket problem in the walls of your home: We explain why below.
What If You Have Yellowjackets in Your Walls?
Yellowjackets in your walls is a job for professionals.
It’s easy to make the problem worse if you don’t know what you’re doing. By spraying incorrectly, you can force the yellow jackets further into your home. This is very unsafe and makes eradicating the insect much more challenging, to a point where it is difficult even for professionals to solve the problem.
Dave Burgess, Vice President of Operations at Cooper Pest Solutions, says “Once the yellow jackets start moving through the walls it is near impossible to eradicate them.” Burgess said.
Dr. Richard Cooper, Technical Director at Cooper Pest Solutions, added “Even if the nest is destroyed, the dispersing yellow jackets spread throughout the home, traveling through the walls and finding their way out into the living areas of your home. It’s a real disaster, the yellow jackets can continue popping out in different rooms for weeks when a nest is improperly treated.”
Please note that, at Cooper Pest Solutions, if you self-treat for a stinging insect like wasps, hornets, or yellowjackets, especially if they are nesting in the home, we can no longer guarantee our service.
Video - Watch Our Technician Get Rid of Yellowjackets in the Walls of a House
What to Do if You Have a Yellow Jacket Nest on Your Property
We strongly recommend leaving this problem to a professional wasp exterminator. Yellowjackets and other types of wasps can be extremely dangerous. They are known to sting repeatedly and can pursue a target for up to a mile. Before you rush to the store to buy sprays or traps, call Cooper Pest Solutions.
We have safe and effective methods for treating stinging insects - from carpenter bees to hornets to yellow jackets in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. We understand the urgency in removing the nests, which is why we offer same-day or next day services whenever possible.
If you’re ready to get started, reach out today - we will send out one of our expert technicians to safely remove the nests, And as long as you haven’t self-treated, our Stinging Insect Removal services are fully guaranteed.
Schedule Stinging Insect Nest Removal and Prevention Online Now