Wasp season in Meridian runs from spring, when a single queen starts a small nest, to the first hard frost in fall, when colonies die off. In between, a nest the size of a walnut can grow to hundreds or thousands of wasps, and late-summer yellowjackets are among the most defensive insects you’ll deal with around the house.
Here’s how to tell which wasps you have, when DIY removal makes sense, how to do it carefully and when it’s time to call for help.
Know Which Wasp You’re Dealing With
- Paper wasps build open, umbrella-shaped combs under eaves, deck rails, fence caps and play equipment. The cells are visible from below. They’re less aggressive than yellowjackets unless the nest is disturbed.
- Yellowjackets nest in the ground, in wall voids, under decks and in shrubs. You’ll usually see only a steady stream of wasps going in and out of a hole. Colonies get large and very defensive by late summer.
- Bald-faced hornets build enclosed, gray, football-shaped paper nests in trees, shrubs and under eaves. They defend the nest hard.
Our wasp identification guide has photos, and the University of Minnesota Extension page on wasps and bees explains how to tell them apart from honey bees, which should be left to a beekeeper.
Timing Matters
- April to June: queens start nests alone. A small paper wasp nest with a handful of cells is the easiest to deal with.
- July to August: colonies grow fast. Yellowjacket nests in walls and the ground get large.
- September to October: colonies peak and yellowjackets forage hard around food and trash. This is when most stings happen.
- After a hard frost: workers die and new queens leave to overwinter elsewhere. Old nests aren’t reused, so an empty nest can be knocked down.
When DIY Removal Is Reasonable
A small paper wasp nest that’s easy to reach from the ground, away from doors and windows, with nobody in the household allergic to stings, is usually manageable. If you go ahead:
- Work at dusk or after dark, when the wasps are on the nest and less active.
- Wear long sleeves, long pants, gloves, closed shoes and eye protection.
- Use a wasp and hornet spray labeled for the purpose, from the distance listed on the can, and follow every label direction.
- Have a clear path to walk away, and don’t work from a ladder.
- Wait a day, confirm there’s no activity, then knock the nest down and scrape the spot.
When to Leave It to a Professional
- Any yellowjacket nest in the ground, a wall void, an attic or under siding
- Bald-faced hornet nests
- Nests that are high up, inside structures or near a doorway
- Large nests, or several nests on the same house
- Anyone in the household with a sting allergy
Don’t plug the entrance to a yellowjacket nest in a wall before it’s treated. The wasps may chew through drywall into the house. And skip the old tricks of smoke, fire, gasoline or flooding a ground nest; they’re dangerous and usually leave the colony alive and angry.
Our post on wasp nest removal: what to expect walks through how a professional visit works, from inspection and treatment to nest removal.
Preventing Nests
- Walk the house in spring and knock down small starter nests under eaves and rails.
- Seal gaps in siding, soffits and around vents where yellowjackets can get into walls.
- Keep trash cans lidded, and clean up fallen fruit and outdoor food and drinks in late summer.
- Check decks, sheds, play sets and fence lines, which are favorite paper wasp sites. Our post on wasps nesting under decks covers those spots.
- A perimeter treatment in spring that includes eaves and overhangs makes it harder for queens to settle in.
If Someone Gets Stung
Wash the sting with soap and water and use a cold pack to reduce swelling. Watch for signs of a serious allergic reaction, such as trouble breathing, swelling of the face or throat, dizziness or hives spreading beyond the sting. If those appear, call 911 and use an epinephrine auto-injector if one has been prescribed.
Common Questions
Will wasps come back to the same spot?
They don’t reuse old nests, but sheltered spots that worked one year often attract new queens the next spring.
Do wasp traps get rid of a nest?
Traps catch foraging yellowjackets but won’t eliminate a colony. They’re a supplement, not a fix.
Help With Wasps in Meridian
Wasps and hornets are part of our regular residential pest control plans, along with spiders, ants, mice, rats and fall invaders. We offer quarterly, bi-annual and one-time service. Quarterly service plan customers get free return visits. No contracts; cancel with 30 days’ notice. Rodent service is included at no extra cost with quarterly service plans; traps and materials are billed separately. We also handle wasp problems at commercial properties such as offices, storefronts and multifamily buildings.
ProGuard is based in Eagle and serves homes and businesses in Meridian, Boise, Nampa, Star, Caldwell, Middleton, Emmett and Garden City. Call (208) 352-2062 or contact us to schedule a visit.