Let’s talk about wasps
Normally in January, wasps are a huge thing. January is usually when the weather starts to get really nice in Auckland. Wasps start to get active. They start to get going and you’ll really start noticing them.
However, with this crazy La Nina weather, our summers are less hot. And it’s affecting those pests out there, including wasps.
Basically, there are two types: paper wasps and German wasps.
What to do about wasp nests if you have them at your place?
Mark from Bug King answers some questions about wasps in general and offers some helpful advice about how to deal with wasp nests.
Can you get rid of a wasp nest yourself?
Paper wasps:
Paper wasps build those little nests made of what looks like paper. If you see a paper wasp nest on a vertical surface, it’ll be an Asian paper wasp. If the nest is on a horizontal surface, it’ll be an Australian paper wasp. And if the nest is tucked away underneath the gutter or something, or somewhere that’s well sheltered, it’ll be an English paper wasp.
The great thing with these paper wasps is that you can take care of them yourself. Why? Because they’re a lot less dangerous than other types of wasps.
How to get rid of a wasp nest if it belongs to paper wasps
All you need to do is go out at night, when they’re all there. Then give the nest a spray with a bit of fly spray. Next, you just clip it off into a bag and throw it in the bin.
The other good news about paper wasps is, that you’re unlikely to get stung by one of them. And if you do get stung, it’ll just be by one wasp, not the whole lot of them.
Pricing
- $215.00 for wasp extermination and wasp nest control.
- $345.00 for the set-up of Vespex baiting programme for foraging wasps.
- $215.00 for follow-up visits for Vespex.
German wasps:
On the other hand, if we’re talking about common German wasps, then don’t try to get rid of a wasp nest yourself. German wasp nests are the ones where you see the wasps streaming in and out of a hole or gap or from underneath the gutter.
German wasps are cavity dwellers, so there’ll be living in a cavity somewhere. And those nests can home up to 10,000 wasps, easily.
Avoid taking care of those nests yourself. We don’t recommend trying to get rid of big common or German wasp nests yourself at all.
Our advice
However, we know some number 8 wire Kiwis are going to have a go. So, here are our recommendations to those people who do insist on trying to get rid of a wasp nest themselves.
1. Make sure you can see the entrance to the nest clearly. If you can’t, whatever you decide to throw at it probably won’t go into the nest.
2. Make sure you have a quick and easy escape route. Wasps turn from passive to aggressive very quickly. You need to make sure you can evacuate pronto.
3. Don’t block up the entrance to the nest. They’ll chew another way out…..and that might be inside your home.
4. Give us a call when you’ve been stung, and the wasps are still there.
If you get stung by these wasps, it’ll be all of them. German wasps release a pheromone that says “attack”. All the wasps in the nest are attracted to that pheromone because they know that something’s going on with the nest. Maybe you’ve stood in it, or you’ve tried to throw a bit of petrol down the hole. Those wasps are going to sting you.
And if you missed the first time, do not go back. Get the professionals in.
I would recommend getting in the professionals from day one to clear out the wasps’ nest. But if you want to have a go yourself, and you miss, get the professionals in after that. Because it’s going to be tough, and you’re going to get stung, and it’s going to hurt.
What else about wasps?
Wasps generally die off over winter, not because of the temperature but because there’s a lack of food. They tend to go off elsewhere. The queen will then hibernate over winter, but she’ll fly off and start a new nest somewhere else, so the nest won’t keep going in the same place.
However, if there is a lot of food over winter, then we get what we call a multi-year nest. In that case, the nest will grow and grow as long as there’s enough food to support it.
Don’t be fooled by the size of the nest
Working with Bug King, I have seen some huge nests over the years. I’ve seen some really scary nests where the bit you can see it’s about the size of a car bonnet. Those nests could be holding millions of wasps. A normal size wasps’ nest gets to about the size of a beach ball in a season and holds about 10,000 wasps. So, goodness only knows what’s happening underneath the ground in those huge nests.
We can sort out your wasp problem
If you live or work in Auckland, call in a professional wasp exterminator and reduce the risk of anybody at your home or business being stung. Call Mark and the Bug King team on 0800 54 64 54 and they’ll do their very best to get to your home or business ASAP.
Bug King carries out wasp control Auckland wide.
Testimonials
It’s always good to take someone else’s word for it! Read what Bug King customers have said about them following a successful pest removal. Mark and his team can also arrange for you to speak directly to someone who has used their services, because they appreciate that you need to be absolutely certain about how their pest control works before you ask them into your home.
“Mark and his team are excellent. One of the fastest, most efficient and professional service that I have ever experienced. Not only did they take care of my wasp problem, they also took great care in keeping harm away from my beehives. I can highly recommend Bug King”.
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