Wasps & Bees Control: How to Get Rid of Wasps and Bees

This page is a general wasps and bees control guide. Using the products and methods suggested you can get control of all wasp and bee species. The wasps and bees category pages give additional information on the different species. Follow these guides and use the recommended products and we guarantee 100% control of all bees or wasps species.

Wasps and bees can be an alarming presence around homes and businesses, but they can really become a problem when they have established a nest or hive upon a property. Many people are afraid of wasps and bees because they fear getting stung if they get too close.

There are many species of Bees and Wasps, and their characteristics can vary. The common characteristics between them are the fact that both are flying stinging insects, prone to aggression if provoked, and they are both pollinators. 

Wasps and bees build their nests close to food and building resources. Paper wasps, for example, built their nest using wood fiber and need to be close to wooden structures. In many cases, these happen to be homes and businesses.

If you are worried about Bees and Wasps invading your property, our DIY Wasp and Bee control guide can help you to eliminate them. Follow our guide step by step using the professional products we recommend below to get rid of your bees and/or wasps infestation.

Identification

It's important to know exactly which Wasp or Bee you are specifically dealing with before proceeding with a control program. There are many species of both wasps and bees, and their appearance can vary. It is easier to identify them by their nesting sites and their bodies.

• Bees tend to have fuzzy, thicker bodies and legs, while wasps are typically smooth and shiny and have narrower waists and legs. The hairiness of bees aid them in pollination so they can collect more pollen on their hairs.
• Bees colonies can be found on trees, in the ground, or inside wood. Honeybee nests are waxy and will have that distinctive honeycomb pattern while bumblebees nest in the ground. Carpenter Bees nest inside wood and you might see them inside if they've built a nest in the wall voids of your home.
• Wasps nests can be found on roofs, trees, patio fixtures, and in the ground. Their nests are made from a papery, pulpy material that they gather from debris they find.

Use the image and description above to identify whether you are specifically dealing with a wasp or a bee.

Inspection

Once you have properly identified the flying pest to be a Bee or a Wasp, proceed with an inspection to determine where they are nesting or are active. Inspect during the day, when the nests will be buzzing with activity.

Where To Inspect

If you're seeing wasps or bees indoors take a look inside chimneys, vents, attics, basements, and in windows and crevices. They most likely came from outside, so go outdoors and inspect eaves, siding, fascia boards, soffits, and below rain gutters.

Pay close attention to cracks and crevices in wood. Take binoculars and take a look on top of the roof, near the chimney, and in possible cracks and crevices where they might harbor.

In the yard look in trees, shrubs, branches, woodpiles, yard debris, and leaf litter.

What To Look For

You're looking for bees, wasps, and their nests. If you find a solitary bee or wasp observe its flight pattern and follow it back to the nest. In the yard, get rid of wood piles, yard debris, leaf litter, rocks. These items could be hiding holes or burrows where wasps/bees nest. Once you have identified their nests you're ready for treatment.

Don’t be too afraid of the Carpenter Bees buzzing your head. The ones that make the most fuss are the males and they are charged with protecting the nest. But the males don’t have a stinger. They simply charge at you and hope you run away.

Treatment

Once you have located the nest, it's time to begin treatment. Remember that you must read all product labels and follow their application instructions, and stay safe by wearing personal protective equipment (PPE).

Whether it's bees your are dealing with or wasps, we recommend treating any Wasp or Bee nest directly and knocking down lingering wasps and bees with Stryker Wasp & Hornet Killer.

Stryker Wasp and Hornet Killer is a Prallethrin-based insecticide that delivers instant knockdown of Wasps, Hornets and Bees, paralyzing them. Stryker can also be sprayed from up to 15 feet away, delivering a jet stream application from a distance to keep you safe.

Step 1 - Treat Nest and Stinging Pests with Stryker Wasp and Hornet Killer

Before spraying, wear long clothing to avoid stings or you can always purchase a Bee Suit. Wait until the evening or night when all the bees/wasps are inside the nest.

Stryker Wasp and Hornet Killer comes ready to use. Simply shake, point, and spray. Spray directly at the nest entrance for 6 to 8 seconds. Drench the whole nest and kill the remaining wasps/bees. If any wasps and bees fly out, you can spray in a sweeping motion to attack them directly until they are incapacitated.

For nests that are in the ground, stand a safe distance away and spray in a sweeping motion. Make the spray come into contact with any Wasps, Hornets or Bees that escape from the hole opening. You should then move forward and apply a secondary blast of Stryker for 6 to 8 seconds into the nest hole.

Prevention

After you have treated the Wasps and Bees, you will want to make sure they don't make a return and re-establish a nest on your property. Here are some preventative measures we suggest to discourage Wasps and Bees from targeting your home.

• To prevent bees or wasps from forming large colonies in your structure be diligent about knocking down recently built nests and using preventative applications of D-Fense Dust and Sylo Insecticide.
• Apply D-Fense Dust to crevices and areas that Wasps and Bees have used previously to set up nests to discourage rebuilding. Sylo Insecticide should be used to create a protective barrier around the perimeter of your home to further discourage Wasp and Bee harborage. Sylo has a residual effect of 90 days so you can treat your perimeter quarterly for year-long prevention.
• Spray the foundation of your home with Sylo Insecticide by spraying 3 feet up and 3 feet out from the foundation and also spray, window frames, door frames, eaves, soffits, rain gutters, and areas where wasps or bees have been seen.
• Maintain a clean yard, which means getting rid of leaf litter, wood debris, and preventing standing bodies of water from forming. Keep trash cans outdoors tightly sealed since Yellowjackets and other wasps are attracted to food and may linger in the area.

Key Takeaways

What are Wasps and Bees?

• Wasps and Bees are flying insects that are notorious for being aggressive, their painful stings and setting up nests in and around residential homes and commercial buildings.

How to Get Rid of Wasps and Bees

• Our recommendation to get rid of Wasps and Bees is Stryker Wasp and Hornet Killer. Directly spray nests and contact any Wasps or Bees that fly out from the entrances.

Preventing Wasp and Bee Reinfestation

• Prevent future reinfestations with applications of D-Fense Dust and Sylo Insecticide. These products will discourage the reestablishment of nests.