Having a wasp nest on a tree in your property is an unpleasant situation, more so, when you have young children or someone allergic to wasp stings around. A wasp nest in a tree is a naturally occurring phenomenon; however, when a wasp builds its nest in a tree in your garden, it can be an annoying nuisance. Wasps will often nest in places such as stumps in the ground, hollows in trees or the more conventional nest suspended from the branches of a tree. While wasps will naturally tolerate human approach, they will sting and attack if disturbed or threatened. The worst mistake you can do is swat at them.
Most of the time, wasps will build their nests high up in the tree, which doesn’t threaten public safety, but when they begin to grow in number, both you and your family are at potential risk of getting stung by wasps. Nests that are 3 meters high from the ground are not considered a threat, anything below that level is a potential hazard and needs to be removed. It’s important to have your local pest control service company help you with this task. Attempting to perform this task unprepared could lead to wasp attacks.
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Paper wasp in trees
It’s not uncommon to spot a paper wasp in trees in Ontario. They are easily noticeable with their wasp nest design. The key characteristics of their nests being plant fibers that are created when the wasps chew plant material with their mandibles. They put together this material with a sticky adhesive that naturally forms in their saliva.
What makes paper wasp nests unique is that they are waterproof. The paper wasps craft their nest skillfully to ensure that they are weather resistant. You will find these nests hanging off trees, house eves, and window overhangs. However, most times, the wasps will prefer to build their nests in trees. Winter is usually a great time to check for wasp nests and remove them. During this time, the workers and males will die off due to the first hard freeze, making them vulnerable. It’s important that you do not attempt to get rid of the wasps by yourself, especially if you are not well equipped or skilled to carry out the task.
Wasp nest in tree removal
In case you are going to get rid of a wasp nest in a tree by yourself, it’s important to make sure that you are not allergic to wasp stings. If you are not sure if you are allergic to wasp nests, it’s a good idea to set up an allergy test.
Before carrying out this task, ensure you have all the equipment you need for the job. Wear protective clothing before you attempt to remove a wasp nest. If you are using insecticides to get rid of the wasps, ensure there are no children in the vicinity. After extermination keeps the area off children and pets for at least 24 hours. Pesticides that are used to kill wasps are strong and poisonous.
When getting rid of wasps in a tree, ensure that you carry out this operation in the cover of darkness or early in the morning, they are least active in darkness, and you will be in a better chance to get rid of them if they are all in the nest. Never use a ladder to reach up to a high wasp nest in a tree. You might fall off and injure yourself if a swarm of wasps flies at you.
Why Wasps Nest in Trees
Trees are natural structures. The species of wasp that like to build nests above ground use trees to their advantage, attaching their nests to their branches or their hollowed trunks. Just like the eaves of your roof, branches hang above ground, presenting wasps with an opportunity to latch on. As flying creatures, wasps likely prefer the advantages of living above ground. This way, they can avoid predators.
At first, a wasp nest will appear like a small wad of paper. Then, within a few weeks, it will turn into the size of a football. Wasps build their nests to surround their queen, and it expands with the colony. The nest will get bigger and bigger, then, in the fall, when it gets cold, the majority of the colony will die.
Wasps usually nest close to a source of food, like a fruit tree or garbage can. If you want to avoid getting wasps in your trees, do everything you can to limit the amount of food available. Clean your garbage cans regularly and keep them out of sight. Always clean up after a meal outside and pick up fallen fruits and vegetables. You can also set traps to help avoid the construction of a nest.
How to Get Rid of Wasp Nest in Tree
The safest way you can get rid of a wasp nest is to hire an exterminator. If you want to do it yourself, see if you can figure out the species you are dealing with first. Then, purchase the appropriate pesticide at the hardware store. Read the instructions carefully. Once it is dark out, put on some protective clothing, including a face net, long sleeves, and pants. Do not use a ladder. Spray the nest thoroughly with the insecticide. In the morning, come back and pick up fallen wasps.
If the tree is far away from the home, consider leaving it be. The majority of the population will die in the fall, when the temperature begins to dip below freezing. While they are irritating pests, wasps do provide some essential services to the environment, pollinating the plants in your garden and keep other pests under control. If you’re not sure which species you’re dealing with, contact a local pest control company for help.
It’s advisable that you get a professional pest removal company to help you get rid of wasps in trees. They are experienced and in a much better position to help you get rid of your wasp infestation problem for good.
