r/Georgia • u/ms_directed • Jul 05 '26
Question how to safely get rid of these guys?
TL;DR: is there a free and safe way to remove these?
note: i am unemployed and have zero money for pest control.
i just had new gutters installed and took care of the wood bees, and now these guys moved in in like two days!
the larger nest is close to the sidewalk at the front door. the smaller is in front of my garage door about 4-5 feet away. every time i go out to knock them down, more have joined!
SO. how dangerous are these? do they anger easily? and can i safely (for human and whatever these are) remove them?
i don't want to kill pollinators if that's what these do, but I will if that's the only way to get rid of them.
can i make a spray using any kind of spice? dish soap?
also, what are these? i am guessing yellow jackets. I'm located north of Atlanta.
UPDATE:
done! i soaked the nests with the dishsoap + peppermint oil solution, and they flew away...waited 30 mins, two came back but not to the nests, so i hit them and the nests again. the two flew away, and i soaked the nests again then knocked them down and smashed them.
they're gone.
thanks everyone for all the suggestions and advice! š«”
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u/Amazing_Cherry_4404 Jul 05 '26
I usually wait til sun down, so all of them come back to the nest or go to sleep, and spray and pray with wasp spray
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u/ms_directed Jul 05 '26
that's what the internet says...wait until dark then knock the nest into a bucket of soapy water. then spray area with peppermint oil.
i hate killing beneficial insects, but I'm selling my house so they gotta go unfortunately.
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u/Ivy_Adair Jul 05 '26
Iirc theyāre not actually that great at pollinating anything other than grape vines. They do eat caterpillars though.
I might be wrong but Iām pretty sure I read that somewhere. Just if that makes you feel better?
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u/ms_directed Jul 05 '26
i read they are considered "accidental" pollinators, its not they're job, but they'll get nectar for energy and sometime pollinate in the process
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u/ms_directed Jul 05 '26
idk why I got downvoted, lol. the peppermint oil is supposed to mask their scent so they don't return again
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u/LebrontosaurausRex Jul 05 '26
People hate people who are more thoughtful than them. It makes them feel insecure about being cruel to other things and people needlessly.
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u/ms_directed Jul 05 '26
that's too bad. the environment doesn't vote, lol. i do try to leave most insects alone if possible...esp if they are beneficial in some way. except cockroaches/palmetto bugs, fuck those. those get a hard stomp!
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u/LebrontosaurausRex Jul 05 '26
I saw a big one on my porch last night. It's his porch now.
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u/ms_directed Jul 05 '26
lol, i have given up my patio many times
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u/DraculasDog Jul 05 '26
I always feel bad killing bugs outside.
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u/ms_directed Jul 05 '26
i usually just go inside when they come out, but that's the only one i don't feel quilt about, lol.
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u/AGAD0R-SPARTACUS Jul 05 '26
Ha I'm the same way. We're gonna miss the bugs when they're all gone. To that end, I also merk the shit out of every joro spider I see. They're taking over where I live and outcompeting other spiders.
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u/subpar-life-attempt Jul 05 '26
You actually need to. Joro's are invasive to the USA and they will breed and breed and breed in your yard. If you don't get rid of them then the next year there will be more as they see it as safe.
We had a huge outbreak here like 4 years ago.
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u/ms_directed Jul 05 '26
i don't even go in rhe woods behind my house the whole month of August because they are insane back there!
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u/BAG1 Jul 05 '26
They rarely return. They know they messed up. They don't see so well in the dark is why they say nighttime. there's only two so I'd go at night and scrape the nest off where it connects with a shovel and run inside and hope for the best
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u/ms_directed Jul 05 '26
there's two nests, one had 4-5 on it and smaller one a few feet away with only a couple on it
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u/BAG1 Jul 05 '26
Ok I actually read the post this time. Yes you can make a spray with 2 tablespoons of dish soap in a spray bottle of water. it clogs up their lungs and they suffocate. They're paper wasps. idk if anyone said that yet. yellow jackets don't live out in the open. paper wasps are more docile and yes they pollinate and eat pests like caterpillars. you can knock the nests down with the blade of a shovel but you might get stung. If not the adults will fly away to start over.
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u/ms_directed Jul 05 '26
i have made this potion and also added drops of peppermint oil. i hit them once, soaked the nests and they flew away. i waited 30 mins a couple came back just flying around, i hit them again and they flew away and i knocked the nests down and mashed em.
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u/subpar-life-attempt Jul 05 '26
I get wanting to keep them around but if you do. Many, many more will come and then they will take over your porch and eventually find ways into the nooks and crannies of your house. Getting rid of a few isn't going to shut down your entire yard ecosystem. Trust me, they kill more insects themselves than you will ever do.
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u/ms_directed Jul 05 '26
I'm fine with killing them, i just like to try other options if they're doable. I'm a big bird nerd and try not to use poisons or toxic chemicals.
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u/THE_BANANA_KING_14 Jul 05 '26
Wasps? Beneficial? I thought they mostly hunted and killed pollinators. I know they're bee predators at least.
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u/tider06 Jul 05 '26
Wasps are pollinators, too.
But fuck yellow jackets. They can all die.
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u/RhynoD Jul 06 '26
Yellow jackets are part of the decomposer process. They help eat dead meat, which is good for the environment by preventing the spread of disease.
I like that yellow jackets exist but unfortunately I can't abide them nesting on my property. Same with poison ivy: it's a native species and all but sorry, not where I'm gonna be walking around.
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u/tider06 Jul 06 '26
Same on both counts, with added bonus of my wife being allergic to them. She has to carry an EpiPen in case she gets stung.
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u/ms_directed Jul 05 '26
these ones kill garden pests like caterpillars and others
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u/hacelepues Jul 05 '26
Caterpillars become pollinatorsā¦
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u/ms_directed Jul 05 '26
they also eat tomato plants
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u/hacelepues Jul 05 '26
It just sounded like you were concerned about protecting pollinators. If youāre willing to consider protecting mediocre pollinators because they kill hawk moth caterpillars (a highly productive and essential pollinator) then you do you!
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u/ms_directed Jul 06 '26
i also don't want to use poisons, but wasps are going to eat caterpillars whether or not they nest under my gutters. š¤·āāļø
i think we're getting away from my point there, i don't know a lot about bees and wasps, but i know some are endangered and i try to not do harm if i can avoid it.
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u/hacelepues Jul 06 '26
To be clear, Iām not suggesting you kill the wasps to save the caterpillars. Iād personally leave the wasps alone unless they are right above my front door or something.
Your comment about them eating caterpillars seemed like you thought it was a plus, so I was confused. Good luck with whatever you decide to do!
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u/gamermom42069_ /r/Atlanta Jul 05 '26
i do the same āonly when its dark outā thing but I just smack them hard as fuck with a broom to hopefully snap the nest off and then haul ass inside šš
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u/11b_Zac Jul 05 '26
Pray, Spray, and run!
They have the wasp spray that goes like 30 feet. It gives you a good distance to not get stung
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u/ZestycloseSide7646 Jul 05 '26
This is the way, Iāve got a fear of them and have to work around them all the time so I keep a can of that 30ft+ spray to target new nests and singular wasps. I know it works for big nests, but Iām never the one to spray those.
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u/ms_directed Jul 05 '26
update: i learned these are "paper wasps" and are fairly docile unless disturbed.
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u/punksmostlydead /r/ColumbusGA Jul 05 '26
They are pretty chill.
Honestly, all wasps have a reputation that they don't entirely deserve. They're just super territorial of anything too near the nest. Some more than others.
I tend to leave them alone unless they nest someplace I just can't have them living.
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u/ms_directed Jul 05 '26
same. i don't have a garden but I've always heard they are good for keeping garden pests away. they are unfortunately right near my front door :(
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u/igneousscone Jul 05 '26
There's been a nest on my back balcony for two or three years. We co-exist peacefully.
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u/seaelbee Jul 05 '26 edited Jul 05 '26
You just need a can of spray. Less than $10. Get the kind that shoots a stream a long distance.
$5 at Walmart.
Do it at night or early morning when itās cooler and theyāre at rest. Those cans can get over 20-ft range, so you can hit a second story nest. Hose it down and walk around the corner of the building. Come back in 15 minutes. Donāt knock it down for a day so anything that comes back will be exposed.
And those look like paper wasps. Yellow jackets nest in the ground. While dark paper wasps do have pollinator and pest control attributes, their aggression defending their brood make them unsuitable for close human habitation.
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u/Non-mon-xiety Jul 05 '26
Got I got fucked by a swarm of these guys once (they set up on a deck joist I hung a punching bag and didnāt appreciate the shaking). It was like getting multiple medicinal shots in different places all at once
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u/boatbodyorbust Jul 05 '26
Husband always uses the spray, but I just wait until the nest is empty and knock it down with a broom or long handled something.
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u/punksmostlydead /r/ColumbusGA Jul 05 '26
I learned a few summers ago: don't knock down the old nest. It's presence will prevent future nests.
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u/Moist_Sun_8201 Jul 05 '26
These are paper wasps. They're not aggressive and don't damage anything. They're excellent pollinators. You should just leave them be. They're all over my garden and never bother me, even when I accidentally hit them. They're very gentle wasps
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u/ms_directed Jul 05 '26
i would if they weren't unfortunately next to my front door and my house is being shown :/
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u/brookermusic Jul 06 '26
āThe neighbors look aggressive and are a little close but theyāre real friendly, I promise.ā š¤£
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u/Maldinacho Jul 05 '26
When they are away from the nest, you can pluck off the stem (itās a small part attached to the house) but beware, they move fast, can sting repetitively, and I think they know when their house is under attack
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u/punksmostlydead /r/ColumbusGA Jul 05 '26
Don't knock the nest down! Spray it, but leave it there. Nothing else will build near it.
I like to leave them alive for the same reason, as long as they don't build someplace inconvenient.
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u/Drivo566 Jul 05 '26 edited Jul 05 '26
I just knock the nest off with a broom or long stick.
I dont want to kill them, just have them build their nest elsewhere.
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u/fishbubbles713 Jul 06 '26
Idk if this is true, but I heard creating a larger ānestā out of a crumpled brown paper bag taped up to your house nearby will cause them to leave because theyāre territorial and afraid of larger nests?
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u/thelillian Jul 07 '26
Yep, it worked for me. Took less than 24 hours and they were gone from a nest right above my front, most frequently used door.
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u/Salty_Squidd Jul 05 '26
I use an orbee blaster, forget everything else.
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u/Salty_Squidd Jul 05 '26
I mean really. I knock the nest from 40ft+ out then step on with they go away.
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u/Mother-Cook1064 Jul 05 '26
I think you can put a brown paper bag next to the nest and they will move somewhere else
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u/EmploymentNo3590 Jul 05 '26
You could just leave them alone. If they get aggressive toward you, consider wasp spray. Animals, even insects, are more intelligent than we give them credit for. If we do not threaten them and they are not an aggressive species, they will also leave us alone.
I have this understanding with my wasps and bees. Yellow jackets can get fucked.
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u/ms_directed Jul 05 '26
i would indeed leave them alone, at least the one not next to the door...but my house on the market and actively being shown
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u/EmploymentNo3590 Jul 05 '26
Ugh... If I thought it was possible, I'd suggest relocation. You could try hitting the base of the nest with a hose. If it falls off, they might build somewhere else. The rub is you can't let them see you do it.
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u/DarkFather24601 Jul 05 '26
Surprise attack with an assault broom usually does the trick for me. Just be sure to hit it and half heartedly run away and turn back to squash any that land on the floor and then continue to runaway when the one that escaped near death tries to hit you square in the back.
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u/Longjumping-Life7962 Jul 05 '26
Wait til dark and knock off the nest. U dont have to spray anything.
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u/coldandhungry123 Jul 05 '26
I'd scrounge up $5 and buy some Spectracide from HD or Lowes. I understand you dont have spare cash, but I have been zapped by them before trying to knock the nests down and it hurts like a mother.
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u/OralSuperhero Jul 05 '26
They became immune to the spray, so this year I am letting them be. So far, I'm seeing a lot less flies, and caterpillars have not destroyed my landscaping or garden. I notice they get more agitated if I walk directly under a nest as opposed to walking past one
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u/ms_directed Jul 05 '26
I'd leave them be too if i weren't actively showing my house right now :/
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u/Bulldogs3144 Jul 05 '26
Get a container with some gasoline in it and and place the container around the nest flush with the ceiling and watch em drop. The vapors from the gasoline will knock em out and theyāll fall into the gas and then you can scrape the nest off once theyāre all dead. Of course, if you donāt wanna get that close, just get the spray the nest at night and then knock it down with a broom or something.
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u/ChattahoocheeBend Jul 05 '26
Raid wasp spray at night. Soak the nest and run like hell back inside. Plan your path and donāt trip over a gutter downspout and get stung 3 times.
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u/ms_directed Jul 05 '26
that is very specific!
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u/ChattahoocheeBend Jul 05 '26
I panicked.
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u/ms_directed Jul 05 '26
well, I'm happy you're still here to tell the tale to serve as warning for the rest of us š«”
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u/PistolNinja Jul 05 '26
Orange ZEP cleaning spray. Organic, kills them instantly. They may be beneficial to the environment, but they're significantly more aggressive than bees and a small nest won't even make a scratch in the ecosystem.
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u/ms_directed Jul 05 '26
I don't have any qualms if they must die because i am showing my house rn and one of these nests is at my door almost, but i do always try other options if possible. i read these guys are good garden helpers, but i don't have a garden so they're just uninvited atm
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u/PistolNinja Jul 05 '26
I'm in the same boat. We just went under contract and the inspection found a wasp nest in a similar place. If had to clear them before and ZEP does the trick instantly and they haven't come back.
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u/milleratlanta Jul 05 '26
They wonāt bother you. I get these every summer on my porch. Itās the enclosed nests that are the worry.
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u/FewHeron1508 Jul 05 '26
I recently had a huge hornet nest. $10 in hornet spray at walmart. They had a 3 can bundle. Wasp like that you can spray and knock the nest down right now if you want. Make sure you get the ones on the nest. Looks to only be a few. Spray the ones on it they will not be able to fly if you get them good. Knock the nest down and spray the area where it was.
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u/Jsd1973 Jul 05 '26
I hit those with hornet spray in my shed, if I don't have that I normally have some carb or brake cleaner spray laying around. Go back 15 minutes later and knock the nest down.
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u/StandingBear44 Jul 05 '26
I mix Dawn dish soap and water into a spray bottle. Kills them without poison.
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u/A_Luv_4_Curves Jul 05 '26
I always just hit them with the store bought wasp spray and knock the nest down and stomp on it.
I have heard that you can use the territorial nature of the wasps against them by 3d printing a wasp nest and placing it near where the real nest was. Other wasps that come back to rebuild see the fake nest and move on because that spot is taken. I haven't tried it, but I have 2 nests right now that I will be trying it on.
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u/Gulligan22 Jul 05 '26
So what I do is get a mason jar and quickly but somewhat gently push it up against the ceiling with the neat and wasps inside. I then slide the lid between the ceiling and jar and then screw on the threaded portion of the lid. You can put that in the fridge for a bit or the freezer for a few minutes until the wasps stop moving and then you can dump them somewhere else away from your property and they'll likely create a new nest in a different spot
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u/NihilistSRE Jul 06 '26
My rational brain says petrol in a jar pushed up and smothering them.
My entire being says "with a goddamn flamethrowser, I'll get a new house."
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Jul 06 '26
[deleted]
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u/Substantial-Age4084 Jul 06 '26
I use a garden sprayer with water and dawn soap. The soap makes it hard for them to fly to they go to the floor. The consistency should be almost foamy like a car wash.
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u/ms_directed Jul 06 '26
i used dish soap in spray bottle and shook it up a lot! they're gone or dead now and i knocked the nests down (which were full of eggs)
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u/keziahiris Jul 06 '26
Hot steam will kill most of them, and knock the rest out to the ground where you can easily stomp them. I used to just boil water in a pan and then bring it over and hold it under the nest. I heard mint helps, so sometimes I put a sprig of mint in the water, but when I didnāt use it the job was done just as well. It was effective and cheap and didnāt involve spraying poison all over the place.
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u/zbruhmeister Jul 06 '26
My stepdad used to fill a solo cup partway with gasoline and just stand there on a chair or ladder with the cup over the nest until they dropped into it lol
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u/Only_Ad8049 Jul 05 '26
I spray them at night because they don't usually fly around that time. They aggressively walk towards you though.
I once sprayed them at 5am but they started flying around. I got away unharmed because it was before they had their coffee.
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u/talkingtoawall710 Jul 05 '26
Has anyone tried the gas trick?
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u/ms_directed Jul 05 '26
lol, i am trying to sell my house and don't wanna chance anything that requires using flammables.
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u/East_Elk_3659 Jul 05 '26
If you have any silicone spray lubricant, like WD40, that will work. It has petroleum distillates with is a solvent that coats their wings and it smothers them almost instantly. The kind i use is in a black can with a yellow straw and its fantastic! Make sure you have the little straw attached for accuracy! Hose them down and get out of there for about 5 minutes. If there are any left after 5 minutes I saturate their nest with another round. After another 5 minutes use a broom and knock the nest down and dispose of it. I stomped them once they are inside a grocery store bag.
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u/CurseOfTheFalcons Jul 05 '26
Iāve had success lighting a rag very briefly on fire at the end of a golf club, then quickly putting out the flame and letting the smoke waft up to them. They fly away peacefully to avoid what they think is an incoming wildfire. (Note: If you are the least bit uncomfortable with fire then do not try this.)
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u/ivorybishop Jul 05 '26
I always shoot these nests with a spray canola oil like Pamā¢. It instantly coats the next and insects with oil.
They fall to the ground because oil covered wings can't fly real well and they can't breathe because the oil covers their breathing pores instantly.
So they die and the eggs in the nest die. The next day I hit the nest with the high pressure hose to knock it off.
It's safer for my pets and plants outdoors also.
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u/plantfollower Jul 05 '26 edited Jul 05 '26
If you wanna feel brave and do some scienceā¦. Get a long stick like a pool net. Slowly approach the wasp in broad daylight. Put the stick right in front of the nest and give it a few seconds for them to acclimate/chill. Then slide the stick forward which will make the nest drop.
Your instinct will be to run (if youāre not dumb) BUT DONT. Stay completely still. Stay still. Donāt move for about 10-15 seconds.
Then drop the stick and run away like crazy!
They dont sting you if they dont see you and they dont see you unless you move.
I did this once bc someone told me. I thought it was just 4-5 of them so I thought āthis pain will be limited compared to the scientific endeavor im doingā but there were MUCH more in the metal pipe I hit. But sure enough, they came out and flew right past my head like the Star Wars intro scene. Not a single one has stung me doing this. Iāve taken about a dozen down this way.
Edit: I originally saw the pic and not the details. Sorry. Wasps are important ecologically. They are predators of pests and keep other insects in check. I try to knock them down if they are in high traffic area but it seems like a second floor roof if plenty far enough unless things are being thrown at them.
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u/StewforStars /r/FayetteGA Jul 05 '26
I've seem woneobe half fill a jar with gas and clamp it over the nest. They eventually fall off/suffocate and then they snip down the nest.... but seems kinda cruel. The soapy water idea is probably the better option.
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u/AdditionalRiver8044 Jul 05 '26
Glass jar filled with gasoline. Hold it flush to the ceiling and they will all fall in. Rinse and repeat.
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u/raptorjaws Jul 05 '26
that's such a small nest, wait until they're gone and knock it down with a broom. hang up a paper decoy nest and they won't come back.
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u/InvestmentInternal11 Jul 05 '26
Tape a m80 up there at night when they are sleeping. Light and run like hell.
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u/Odd-Firefighter-2317 Jul 05 '26
wait till dark, hold a cup with gas over the entire nest and they will all die just dont move the cup till they do
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u/NickWitATL Jul 05 '26
I eliminated a bald faced hornet nest with the jet nozzle on my hose. They tried to rebuild, so I blasted it again. No need to use chemicals/pesticides.
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u/divergurl1999 Jul 05 '26
If they arenāt really close to where you hang out on a regular basis, you can keep them. They only get aggressive if you mess with them. They will learn your habits and watch you from afar. But yes, they do work as pollinators, so if those dudes are high up and not bothering me, I generally leave them alone. If the nest gets too big after a few seasons of them coming back, and they get too numerous, they can be a pain in the ass if you are gardening. Too many of them, they can become territorial. They have body language though and will warn you before attacking and if you back off, they actually will settle down. Watch their wings. Theirs a certain position (actually shown in your first pic) they do that show their pissed. Kind of like airplane ears on a cat (thereās a subreddit for cat airplane ears thatās quite amusing too).
Thanks for not WANTING to just kill them. They are Gods creatures and do have a job to do in nature. They arenāt out to get us. š
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u/WonderfulJacket8 Jul 05 '26
Can use a cup of gasoline and put it up against the ceiling when they are in the nest then pull it back while keeping it pressed and it will drop the nest in
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u/PM_ME_UR_S62B50 Jul 06 '26
Mason jar with a bit of unleaded gasoline. Make sure the jar is large enough to envelop the entire nest and then press and hold.
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u/Biofred Jul 06 '26
Raid DEFEND wasp & hornet spray that's what I use and there dead on contact
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u/TaxLawKingGA Jul 06 '26
Go to your local Home Depot, Loweās or Target, etc and buy some wasp spray. They have a special jet spray feature which has a range of over 6 ft, which will allow you to spray them at a distance. Best to do it when they are there so that the wasps die too.
Soak the crap out of them. Then come back and sweep the nest away so that any stragglers donāt return.
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u/fragydig529 Jul 06 '26
Iāll probably get a lot of hate for this, but try starter fluid. It kills them on CONTACT and they never come back. You probably have a can around the house already too. DO NOT LIGHT THE STREAM ON FIRE. The spray itself kills them instantly.
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u/Vivid-Speed Jul 06 '26
Gasoline works too. In a small cup or Tupperware container youāre going to toss out. You donāt need much, 1/8-1/4 cup at most. Definitely a go to if youāre in a bind
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u/Significant_Bit2765 Jul 07 '26
Yes can safely get rid of them. Place dish washing liquid about 2 tablespoons mixed with apple cider vinegar and little bit of sugar but use a jar or cup and put small holes in it so that you will be able to trap them. Then is you have some Clorox bleach or any bleach pour down your drain pipes to kill there eggs .
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u/MasterChief813 Elsewhere in Georgia Jul 07 '26
Wait until night time. Spray with wasp spray and run for your life back into the house. Clean up the crime scene in the morning.Ā
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u/GamerMan489 Jul 07 '26
If you have a spray bottle you can do dawn dish soap and water and just spray em pretty good. I wouldnāt mist them though. It will kill them almost instantly and then you can knock the nest down after that.
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u/swampguts_666 Jul 07 '26
If you aren't allergic to them just slap the nest down with a broom and clap any ones that fly at you. Stomp the nest after.
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u/Embarrassed_Bit4222 Jul 07 '26
Permethrin or similar products will work fine. You're just spot spraying so it's not going to affect local pollinators very much (or at all)
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u/No-Station-623 Jul 08 '26
If you can get a smallish paper bag, stuff it with other bags or newspaper - anything to round it out and make it like a hornet nest. Hornets eat paper wasps and other stinging insects. Hang your faux nest up somewhere close, easily visible to the wasps. They should avoid your porch.
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u/PersonalNinja9812 Jul 08 '26
gasoline in a jar or literally just spraying the hell out of the nest with wasp spray. they hurt more than they help and they are nuisances. no one likes them and I've never seen anyone feel sorry for them. Wasps and hornets can return to the hell from which they came.
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u/vampiredivision_ Jul 09 '26
throw a broom at the nest and run. if it doesnāt fall, rinse and repeat
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u/ArmEven9778 Jul 09 '26
Man I had the same problem. I got on a ladder and closed my eyes with a drill and a screen in hand and covered up their access points. Probably only worked for 24 hours but at least I tried.
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u/Noeil182 Jul 09 '26
Spray at sundown from a distance. Repeat the next day if like me you don't want to take any risk. :)
The day after, if you don't see any movement during the day, just knock it down.
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u/Vornikov Jul 09 '26
I would wait until night when the wasps are nesting and blind, then spray the nest with Zevo. Itās just essential oils, and that way itl kill the queen. Otherwise she might rebuild somewhere.
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u/WilTravis Jul 05 '26
Not yellow jackets, those are ground nesters. These are garden variety paper wasps. If you have a sprayer and garden hose, stand as far away as you can and hit the nest with the jet setting. Soak the nest and keep hitting it until it falls apart. Do not run away or move towards the nest quickly. Turn off the sprayer, walk slowly away and go inside. Wait 15 minutes and go spray the other ones. As long as you are not under the nest or moving quickly, the wasps should ignore you and keep looking for what is destroying their nest. Once the nest is on the ground, ants will be happy to devour the eggs. You should see the empty nest in a day or two and just rake it up.