Spotting Wasps In The House: Steps To Take To Avoid An Infestation
As warm weather approaches, you may notice more stinging insects flying about. Seeing them outside can be a sign of summer approaching. However, finding them inside your home can be an altogether different experience. Here are a few steps to take, and some things you should avoid if you spot wasps in your home this spring.
Take Note Of Where They Fly
A stray wasp that gets into your home may be a minor nuisance you can avoid by shooing it out of the home or using bug spray. However, if you see multiple wasps inside, take a moment to observe their behavior. Look to see where they tend to fly the most. You may find that they are flying near the entrance to the nest they have built in the home. The nest might be inside the attic, ceiling, or walls. If you identify where they are nesting, you can take steps to get rid of the colony.
Don't Seal Up Holes
With many types of pest infestations, the best advice is to seal holes leading to your home and around your windows. This can still be good advice for homes with wasps, but you'll want to make sure you aren't effectively sealing the wasps inside of your walls. If you trap wasps by sealing mortar holes in your bricks or the flashing and walls around windows, the wasps won't have an escape path. This can lead to many angry wasps inside of the walls looking for a way out. Instead, hire a pest control expert to help clear out the nest and make sure the wasps are gone before you seal up potential entry points.
Buy A Fake Nest
If you notice a few wasps and don't believe they've built a nest inside of your home, consider buying a fake wasp's nest. These nests can be purchased online and at your local hardware store. Because wasps are territorial in nature, they may avoid building a nest if there is already one inside of your home. Fake nests can also make a great addition to your porch, patio, or garage, serving as a natural repellent that can help you avoid new colonies of wasps on your property.
While wasps may generally leave you alone unless you disturb them, they can be dangerous if they all decide to swarm at once. This is particularly true if you have a stinging insect allergy. If you do discover a wasp problem in your home, avoid handling the nest yourself and leave it to the professionals to handle.