Spraying a wasp nest with a hose is generally not recommended. While it may seem like an easy and convenient way to get rid of a wasp nest, there are some important factors to consider first.
Quick Answers
Here are some quick answers to common questions about spraying wasp nests with a hose:
- It’s usually not effective – The force of the water often isn’t enough to penetrate deep inside the nest to kill the wasps.
- It will anger the wasps – Getting the nest wet will disturb and provoke the wasps, causing them to swarm and sting.
- It’s dangerous – Angry, flying wasps pose a serious stinging hazard to people and pets nearby.
- The nest may be relocated – The wasps may just relocate and rebuild the nest elsewhere on your property.
- Professional treatment is better – Calling an exterminator to treat the nest is safer and more effective.
Effectiveness of Hose Spraying
The main issue with trying to spray a wasp nest with a garden hose is that it is generally not forceful enough to penetrate deep inside the nest and kill the wasps and larvae inside. Wasp nests, especially larger ones built by species like yellowjackets and hornets, have multiple layers of thick paper comb that protect the inner chambers.
Simply spraying the outside surface of the nest will likely just provoke the wasps without destroying the nest. The wasp workers on the outer layers may fly off temporarily to avoid the water, but they will return once the nest dries off. And the larvae deeper inside will be unaffected, allowing the colony to continue building up. An effective treatment needs to actually reach the inner combs and cells.
Here are some additional reasons why hose spraying is often ineffective:
- The water pressure is too low – Garden hoses typically have water pressure around 40-80 PSI. Insecticide sprays designed to penetrate nests have 50+ PSI pressure.
- The stream is too dispersed – Hose nozzles spread the water out over a wide area, further reducing pressure on a specific spot.
- The water volume is too low – It takes a lot of directed liquid to soak through a nest, more than a hose can steadily put out.
- The contact time is too short – Insecticides need to be in prolonged contact with wasps to be effective, more than a quick spray.
- The range is too short – Hoses have limited range, meaning you have to get dangerously close to the nest to spray it.
Some wasp nesting locations are also very difficult to hit accurately and directly with a hose stream, like eaves, holes in the ground, or high tree branches. So while a forceful, close-range blast from a hose might destroy a small, exposed nest, most established wasp nests won’t be seriously impacted.
Risk of Wasp Aggression
Another major concern with hose-spraying a wasp nest is that it will very likely anger and provoke the wasps, spurring them to attack and sting. Here’s why spraying a nest can rile up wasps:
- They will see it as an attack – Wasps are highly defensive of their nests and will perceive spraying as an aggressive act.
- It disturbs their home – Getting the nest wet can make wasp nests collapse or fall apart.
- It stresses wasp larvae – Larvae can drown or die from exposure if nest conditions become unhealthy.
- It interrupts their work – Spraying disrupts normal wasp behavior like caring for young and building the nest.
Angry, territorial wasps will respond to nest disturbances by swarming out to sting the perpetrator. Even a brief spray can elicit an aggressive response. The more you spray, the more riled up they become, until the entire colony is flying around ready to attack. And wasps release pheromones that attract others to join an attack.
This puts you, your family, and your pets at risk of multiple painful stings if you’re anywhere nearby. Wasp stings are never pleasant, but for those with allergies they can cause a life-threatening anaphylactic reaction. Even without an allergy, multiple wasp stings can be traumatic and require medical treatment.
It’s impossible to spray a nest without getting dangerously close. And if spraying fails to destroy the nest, you will almost certainly suffer stings. While various protective measures like suits and masks can help, expect angry wasps to sting any exposed skin they can reach.
Risk of Nest Relocation
If hose spraying does manage to substantially damage or destroy part of a wasp nest, there is also a risk that it will simply cause the wasps to relocate and rebuild the nest elsewhere on your property. Here are some reasons why spraying may lead to relocation:
- The nest structure is compromised – Damage will make the current nest unlivable.
- The nest location is now unsafe – Your aggression makes the area dangerous.
- Some wasps survive – Living wasps will create a new home.
- New queens emerge – Young queens will disperse to form colonies.
- The hose disruption is temporary – Conditions at the site will improve after spraying stops.
Having wasps rebuild a nest on your eaves, trees, or bushes can be just as problematic, if not worse than the original location. And next time the nest may be hidden from view, making it even harder to treat safely. It’s often best to leave the nest in place and call for professional treatment.
Dangers of DIY Wasp Nest Removal
Trying to remove a wasp nest yourself, whether by hose, knockdown spray, or other methods, can be risky compared to hiring a professional exterminator. Here are some of the dangers:
- Numerous painful stings from provoked wasps
- Potential allergic reaction that requires emergency care
- Eye injuries if wasps swarm your face and sting around the eyes
- Falling from ladders or heights if spraying overhead nests
- Exposure to harmful chemicals from DIY treatments
- Costly damage to your property if removal goes wrong
Professional exterminators have specialized equipment, insecticides, protective gear, and training to remove nests as safely and effectively as possible. And they know how to properly dispose of nest debris after treatment to prevent renewed nest building.
When to Call a Professional
Contacting a licensed exterminator is strongly recommended in most cases when you discover a wasp nest on your property. Signs that it’s best to call a pro include:
- The nest is larger than a basketball – Difficult DIY treatment
- It’s in a challenging location – Hard to reach overhead or confined spaces
- You’re allergic to stings – Extra precaution needed
- There are multiple nests – Indicates large infestation
- The nest has existed for a while – More entrenched and populous colony
- You lack proper protective gear – Can’t safely treat yourself
- Previous DIY removal attempts failed – Requires professional chemicals and methods
Professional exterminators have the know-how and tools to:
- Identify the species of wasp
- Determine the safest treatment plan
- Use industrial-strength insecticides designed for nest penetration
- Apply residual treatments to prevent future colonies
- Perform removal work at heights safely
- Locate and eliminate other hidden nesting sites
- Dispose of nests properly to prevent recolonization
Professionals can typically provide fast and effective nest removal without putting you at any risk. Costs vary based on nest size, type, and location but are reasonable given the importance of safety.
Effective Professional Treatments
Professional exterminators have access to certain chemical treatments and application methods that can destroy wasp nests much more easily and safely than a garden hose. Common professional treatments include:
- Insecticide dusts – Tiny particles that coat and kill wasps on contact.
- Aerosol insecticides – Pressurized sprays that can penetrate nest interiors.
- Powder and foam agents – Long-lasting formulations to eliminate colonies.
- Surface sprays – Residual sprays to prevent future nests in treated areas.
- CO2 fumigation – High concentration carbon dioxide that suffocates nest inhabitants.
Application techniques such as power spraying and extension poles allow professionals to apply these products with better precision, coverage, and sustained contact compared to DIY treatments. The combination of commercial-grade chemicals and proper application is highly effective at exterminating wasp nests.
Most professional treatments can kill a nest within a day at most, sometimes just a few hours, depending on the size and type. Once confirmed dead, the nest is removed and discarded.
Safety Precautions
Professional exterminators also adhere to strict safety protocols designed to protect you during wasp nest removal:
- Use of protective clothing/gear – Thick suits and hoods to avoid stings.
- Establishing safe treatment perimeter – Keep people and pets away from the nest.
- Timing treatments carefully – When most wasps are in the nest and least active.
- Pre-treating nest entrances – Blocking exits so wasps can’t escape and swarm.
- Post-treatment surveillance – Observing the nest for any emerging wasps.
This emphasis on safety helps ensure no one gets stung in the process. Hiring a pest control company that is licensed, insured, and experienced with wasp nest removal is key.
When Hose Spraying is Okay
While hose spraying is not generally recommended for established, larger nests, it can be reasonably effective for killing very small, new nests in their beginning stages if done carefully. Some situations where spraying a new paper wasp or yellowjacket nest with a hose might work and be safe include:
- The nest is smaller than a golf ball – Small nests have fewer wasps.
- You can spray it from a distance – Avoid close disturbance of the wasps
- The stream is powerfully concentrated – Use high pressure and a narrow nozzle.
- It’s in an easy to hit location – Spray can directly hit nest.
- The nest is low to the ground – You can more easily stand clear.
- You spray at night – Wasps are less active and will stay in nest.
Repeated forceful spraying may be able to penetrate and soak a new, small nest and drown or crush the developing larvae inside before the colony grows much larger. But hitting the nest accurately from a safer distance is essential.
However, even new nests often have worker wasps guarding them, and spraying risks aggravating these wasps. Plus, it’s not always obvious a nest is new until it has been treated, making professional help a safer choice.
Alternative Ways to Treat Wasp Nests
If you decide spraying a wasp nest with your hose is not the right option, there are some alternative DIY methods you can try instead for getting rid of small nests safely:
- Insecticide dusts – Apply a fine dust like Sevin directly into the nest opening.
- Aerosol sprays – Use a high-quality wasp spray and stand far back from the nest.
- Soapy water – Spray insecticidal soap or detergent into the nest entrance.
- Vacuuming – Carefully use a vacuum hose right up to the opening to suction out wasps.
- Knockdown sprays – Low-odor sprays can temporarily stun guard wasps so the nest can be safely removed.
Always exercise extreme caution when treating wasp nests yourself and wearing protective clothing. Professional help is best for large, established nests.
Preventing Wasp Nests
Stopping wasps from building nests around your home in the first place is always preferable to having to eliminate them once established. Here are some tips to deter wasp nests from forming on your property:
- Seal cracks and holes – Eliminate entry points into walls, eaves, vents, etc.
- Install screens – Add mesh covers over openings like crawl space vents
- Inspect regularly – Check common nest sites early in the season for activity.
- Remove food attractants – Clean up fallen fruit, pet food, trash, etc.
- Use deterrents – Apply strong-smelling essential oils or repellent sprays.
- Add fake nests – Dummy nests can give the impression of existing colonies.
- Keep areas dry – Fix plumbing leaks and improve drainage.
- Apply outdoor treatments – Treat known nesting areas with residual insecticide early in spring.
Making your property an unfavorable environment for wasps will reduce the chances that hose-spraying a nest ever becomes necessary in the first place.
Conclusion
Spraying wasp nests with a garden hose is generally not the most effective or safest DIY removal method. The limited power and range make it hard to destroy nests without provoking aggressive attacks from the wasps. It’s better to call a professional pest control service to treat established infestations.
However, a forceful, concentrated stream of water may work on eliminating very small, new nests if they can be sprayed early from a safe distance. Relying on just hose spraying is risky, though. There are safer DIY methods for new nests. And preventing nests altogether by denying wasp access and deterring them on your property is ideal.