For the most part, no. The exception is if the nest is small and easy to reach, you have an escape route, and you’re not allergic to wasps. Otherwise, call a pro.
Nobody wants wasps by the front door. So it’s very tempting to just get a broom handle and knock it down. But unless it’s a very small nest and you’re being very careful, that’s probably a mistake.
DIY wasp nest removal can be okay, but only in a narrow set of cases. A small, newly started nest found in early summer, maybe the size of a golf ball with only a few wasps, is something most homeowners can handle on their own with a can of wasp spray. Even then, be careful.
When the nest is mature, that’s when you need to call a pro. If it’s large like a baseball or basketball, it could have hundreds of workers inside. Likewise, if it’s high up in a soffit or eave, or underground, that’s another reason to call someone because escape could be very hard if things go sideways. And if anyone in the household is allergic to stings, don’t even try it.
Bees can sting you once. Wasps can sting you as much as they want. That alone is part of the danger. But also, disturbed nests tend to launch dozens of defenders. People can be, and have been, stung hundreds of times in the process of trying to take down a wasp nest. And beyond that, people get hurt falling off ladders or while fleeing. It’s possible to even accidentally scare wasps into going inside the home, which is a whole new level of bad.
The species of wasp matters as well. Paper wasps are fairly mild. Yellow jackets or hornets are not, and you don’t want to find out what species you’re dealing with after it’s chasing you.
If you do take on a small one, never midday, never without a clear exit, never on a ladder over your head, and not at all if you're sting-allergic.
If you are dealing with a dangerous wasp nest, Mosquito Squad of Boston Metro South can help. Mosquito Squad handles wasps and other stinging pests as part of its pest control treatment. Not only can wasp nests be removed, but regular pest control service can help you protect your family from other pests with up to 90% reduction in mosquito activity on a 21-day cycle through the season.
