We have had a problem with wasps nesting by our front door, our garage door, and now on the tool shed door. I normally leave them alone, but these are high traffic areas and I'm afraid someone's gonna get stung. What do you guys recommend for getting rid of them? I'd like to stay organic, but if I have to, I'll use a chemical.
Best Treatment for Wasps?
I only use organic too but a yellow jacket stung me the other day, from a nest that I had left alone near my door, so I resorted to a can of spray paint because I was too afraid of the organic recipe being too slow. Here is an organic recipe but I haven't tried it; http://www.ehow.com/way_5625994_wasp-spray-recipe.html
Have had the same problem around doors many times. This is not at all organic, but there are many brands (Raid, Cutters, etc.) of Wasp and Hornet Killer. It is a spray can that will spray up to 20 feet and kills the varmits right on their nest. We just eliminated 3 nests near the front door last week. Occasionally one or two will fly away and try to come back to the nest but they don't like the smell and move on. Effective if you don't mind using the chemicals.
I think we finally got rid of them by spraying them with orange oil.
Hi, Stephanie...the orange oil is a good solution. You might also look at one of the hanging container traps for prevention. They have worked really well for us, especially with the paper wasps...they fly in the hole in the bottom to get to the 'nectar' (orange oil and water or sugar water) and can't fly backwards to get out. I do have to clean it out during the first part of the season and 'dump' the dead wasps into the garden. After a while, they seem to intuitively know the container is a trap and will stay away from the area...but we hang it all year now...I was able to find some really pretty ones at Tuesday Morning so keeping them up all year isn't an eyesore.