If you have a yellow jacket nest in your wall, you should hire an exterminator to get rid of them.
If you are brave enough to tackle them yourself, I will teach you how to do it in this article.
Items Required:
The things you will need for this are listed below
- Protective Helmet
- Protective Clothes
- Something to cut hole in wall or roof
- Rentokil Wasp Killer Powder
Did You Know; Yellow jackets typically build nests using paper material and this is why they are commonly found in walls and roof spaces.
If you have a yellow jacket nest in the ground, take a look at this article I wrote about how to handle that.
How Do You Get Rid of Yellow Jackets In a Wall and Roof Space?
To get rid of yellow jackets in a wall or roof space follow these steps:
1: Wear Protective Clothing
We want to make sure that we do not get stunned by the yellow jackets so you should wear protective clothing if possible.
Make sure you wear long trousers and a top that covers all of your skin and also some form of helmet if you have one.
Previously, I have purchased a helmet like this one on amazon before.
2: Cut A Hole Near The Nest
Next you will need to cut a new hole near the centre of the nest.
It is important that this is a new hole and not an existing hole that the yellow jackets are actively using.
Cut the hole in the wall or roof. The hole needs to be large enough for you to spray rentokil wasp killer powder in to.
3: Make Sure They Have An Escape Route Outside
If possible you need to secure your building to make sure that the yellow jackets do not enter your building evacuate the nest.
If their entry point to the nest is external to your building make sure the all doors and windows to your building are closed.
If you have cut a hole internally to your building make sure the room door is closed and the window is open so the yellow jackets can fly out the window.
4: Spray Rentokill In To Hole
Before you spray Rentokil (Available on Amazon) make sure you are wearing protective gloves, I recommend leather gloves and also sure you can make a quick exit after you have sprayed the rentokil.
A yellow jacket sting will hurt a lot and you need to make sure to do everything you can to avoid this.
When you are ready spray a good amount of Rentokil into the hole you created then Retreat to a safe distance. Do not return to the hole until at least an hour has passed.
You should see yellow jackets leaving the nest area. the yellow jackets should see this as an attack on their nest and they should not return.
Over the next few days monitor how many yellow jackets are still in the nest and repeat if spraying rentokill after 2 days if there are still yellow jackets in the nest.
5: Spray Quick Freeze
Spraying Rentokil should be enough to get rid of the yellow jackets out of the wall or roof, but you can also use special pest quick freeze aerosols to instantly kill yellow jackets.
what you need to do is drill a few holes in the wall or roof space a few metres apart.
Then spray the quick freeze into the hole for 10 to 20 seconds then cover up the hole.
This will instantly kill any yellow jackets it comes into contact with and other yellow jackets should exit the nest.
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6: Call A Professional
If you have tried the above steps and you still have yellow jackets in your wall or roof space I recommend you to get an expert in to take a look at the situation
Build A DIY Yellow Jacket Trap
Another thing you can do to keep the yellow jackets away from your property is to build a DIY yellow jacket trap.
These traps can be built very quickly and easily using items around your house.
to build one of these traps follow these steps
- Take a 2L plastic bottle cut off top part of the bottle
- In the bottom part of the bottle add cup worth of sugar
- Then fill half way with apple juice
- Now place the top part of the bottle upside down inside the bottom half of the bottle
- Place the trap near the yellow jacket nests entry point
Below is a video which shoes you how to build this
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How Do You Know If Yellow Jackets Are Nesting In Your Home?
It is very possible that yellow jackets are nesting in your home without you knowing about it. Typically as the nest grows larger you will start to notice them as they will create more noise and you’re more likely to see them flying around.
Yellow jackets will typically not enter your house deliberately and we’ll have entrances to their nest on the external walls and roof of your home.
The signs you should look out for that yellow jackets are nesting in your house include
- Humming or buzzing noises in your wall or roof space
- A high amount of yellow jackets constantly flying around your property
Steps To Find A Yellow Jacket Nest In Your Property
When looking for yellow jacket nest in your property you should search between 10 a.m to 5 p.m because this is when the yellow jackets are most active.
Search the exterior of your property for any holes yellow jackets might be accessing, make sure to also check the holes in the ground.
Yellow jackets could also be accessing your property through the roof space which will be slightly harder to monitor.
If you do spot a large amount of yellow jackets constantly accessing a hole to your property then you have most likely found the entrance to their nest.
If you cannot find the entry point can place sugary foods around your property which will attract yellow jackets, you will then be able to follow them to see where they are entering your property.
How Did Yellow Jackets Get in to the Wall?
Yellow jackets will typically get into your wall via an external entry point, this entry points can also include your roof space.
The roof space is usually the entry point for the yellow jackets and they will build their nest in the roof space or venture into the walls if the roof space does not have ideal conditions.
Furthermore the yellow jackets might start their nest in the roof space and then expand into the walls as the nest gets larger in numbers.
If you have a yellow jacket nest in your property you will need to treat it as soon as possible because the nest will get larger in size overtime and will be harder to get rid of.
How to Kill Yellow Jackets in a Wall
If you want to kill yellow jackets that are hiding in your wall, put on some protective gear first. Cover up your entire body with protective clothing, including your face.
- Cut a hole in the wall.
- Use a drill to keep the whole neat.
- Open the window nearest to the whole.
- Close all other doors or exits.
- Spray insecticide like rental kill into the hole.
- Continue this process for the next two days to make sure that all yellow jackets in this wall are now officially dead.
If you haven’t solved the problem by now, it’s time to call a professional to complete the job.
Can You Use Quick Freeze Aerosol for Yellow Jackets?
Yes you can use this product freely to kill yellow jackets. Quick freeze aerosol contains the active ingredient: Prallethrin 0.1%. This spray is strong enough to travel up to 15 ft. This means you can keep much more distance than a typical pump spray. There was an applicator too for added safety.
Use the directions are provided on the label. You can repeat the process for the next few days until you have completely eradicated all yellow jackets from the location where they have invaded.
The spray is designed to knock out yellow jackets directly on contact; hence the name: Quick freeze.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, yellow jackets can get through drywall. They will chew through drywall to create new holes and paths within their nest. They will chew through drywall to expand the size of their nests. They can chew through paper plasterboard, wood and plastic.
To prevent yellow jackets getting into your wall or property, you will need to seal any external holes to your property which will prevent the yellow jackets from entering your property.
If yellow jackets are in your wall they will make a humming or buzzing sound as they move around the cavity in your wall. Yellow jackets are typically only active from early morning to late evening, so it is unlikely you will hear them during the night.
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