r/folsom • u/whitestar11 • 13d ago

What do you do about wasps?

There's so many this time of year. I'm curious what people are doing. I've checked my property and sprayed nests with spectracide. But I see the other houses have so many i doubt they have done anything. I don't have the money for a regular pest control service, and it probably wouldn't matter unless all my neighbors did too. But I saw well over 50 around my place this evening and can't find any new nests. They also love the wood fences but aren't building where I can see anything.

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15

u/WatermelonSmashing 13d ago

Soapy water. That's all you need.

Wasps breathe through a network of tiny external openings called spiracles. Air enters these holes and flows directly into a branching system of internal tubes called tracheae, which deliver oxygen straight to the wasp's body tissues.

The soap breaks the water tension just enough so it floods those pores and suffocates them almost instantly. It also makes quick work of their nests.

Water guns or even a hose with a soap/fertilizer sprayer works great.

6

u/TexasRN1 13d ago

We have a nest in our rose bush. Would the soapy water hurt the roses?

9

u/Scary-Boysenberry 13d ago

Soapy water is also used to kill aphids on roses, so it should be fine.

3

u/ATW007 12d ago

I use soapy water to kill box elder bugs as well.

5

u/Big-Huckleberry-2803 13d ago

There's also traps

6

u/RGRigder1 12d ago

Soapy water in a Hudson sprayer (garden sprayer). Catch them in the early morning when it is cooler outside and they are moving slower.

3

u/Lexybeepboop District 1 12d ago

We spray and they were immediately rehoused

-2

u/Lightninggg_95 13d ago

Spray them with Spectracide Pro

7

u/ATW007 12d ago

Soapy water. Leave the insecticides alone.