Best way to KILL WASPS indoors!!!!!?????

[testkitchen45]

Help! I'm getting red wasps indoors; we don't know where they're coming in! Sprays are toxic but I'm beginning not to care; what's the best way to kill those da*n things when they're in your house? Maybe a long-handled vacuum attachment? I'm praying I don't get one at the two-story ceiling; I'd keep vigil all day till it came low enough to kill! HELP! Killing methods needed for these aggressive things!!!

(So much for pre-Thanksgiving weather--it's supposed to be in the 80s today, and these little terrors are looking for a winter nesting spot, I guess!)

[sneezles]

The most likely place is through the attic vents. Have you checked the screening on them? It could be that you have a nest in a crawl space or the attic. I'd ask my pest control son but he's out of town until Sunday.

Me, I use the spray and then leave the house for awhile. :o

[clairea]

For an occasional wasp, I use the spray and leave the house as Susan suggested, then I wipe down any surfaces that the spray got on.

If you are getting quite a few wasps, then I would call an exterminator. They can find the nest and get rid of it for you.

[Gumbeaux]

Help! I'm getting red wasps indoors; we don't know where they're coming in!

Do you have a fireplace and chimney? Wasps ocassionally get into my house this way.

They will often go to a window to try to escape. Pull back your blinds and drapes to look for them. I use a fly swatter to kill them.

[testkitchen45]

Yeah; I 'bout peed my pants when I opened a shade & there was one, at eye level, on the vertical shade string. I shut the shade and slammed it with a shoe several times, then peeked to be sure I had bug guts on the window. (Sorry if you're eating breakfast.) The pest-control co was here 2 days ago and saw zip in the attic, where my DH killed several over the weekend--I'm going to ask the pest guy (coming back this afternoon) to nuke the attic or something, b/c I think they're getting in but haven't nested yet.

Other ideas/suggestions are welcome!! Of all the creatures we get here, wasps are the only ones that really frighten me. I'm like a jittery kindergartener in a grown-up's shoes . . . when something can both fly, and sting repeatedly, I'm a scaredy-cat. Even a bee will only sting once; whoopdy-do. Thanks, all.

[KimK]

A non-toxic solution would be to mix a little dish soap with water and spray it on them. They die pretty darn quickly - they seem to collapse and melt.

[Valerie226]

Don't know where you live, but this time of year we get them inside on firewood or pine cones, often used as a firestarter. (If it's in the 80's you probably aren't burning wood but I'll go on anyway) they apparently overwinter in woodpiles & when you bring wood into the house the warmth wakes them up and they fly all over, and don't they always go to the skylights where you can't get at them.

I would also check the vent areas from exhaust fans for the bathroom & kitchen.

We usually use a swatter but ours are kinda slow since usually they have just awakened from " hibernation ". the sprays leave quite a drippy trail down your walls but they do work. I only use them outside.

[momcancook]

I used to spray them with hairspray, their wings would stiffen up quickly so you could womp 'em! ... then throw them outside! :D I don't like the toxic stuff either.

[testkitchen45]

I used to spray them with hairspray, their wings would stiffen up quickly so you could womp 'em! ... then throw them outside! :D I don't like the toxic stuff either.
Really??!! Hairspray?? What a great idea! Will any kind work?

I've been walking on eggshells all day, waiting for the next buzzy surprise. The house is perfectly quiet right now; I keep listening for that little "click, click" of a wasp against a window pane.

You cold-weather people probably love this. :)

[momcancook]

Yes! Any kind of hairspray will do, you just have to clean it off whatever else gets covered with hairspray! The pump bottles seem to work better IMO. :)

[HejazSunKat]

Oh dear, you poor thing. I have an irrational fear of flying things that can inflict pain and with my husband traveling alot I am sometimes forced to take matters into my own hands. One day last summer I'm sitting watching TV when the DH was conveniently out of town and all of a sudden some massive Hindenburg-esque creature jumped off his perch and started flying around the room. I trapped him in the den, ran for the bug spray (which had nothing in it but vapors) and followed him from perch to perch frantically trying to spray HIM while avoiding the rug and furniture. I tried calling my neighbor to come over and do his manly duty but he wasn't home. When I got him woozy I took a shoe to him. Game over. I was relating this story to my neighbor's wife the next day and she started laughing - reminding me that I'd called a (legally) blind guy to kill a bug for me. :D

[Beth]

I try to let them back out the door they came in, and if that fails, I let them find a window where they will likely perish in a day or so. My dad would plaster it with half a can of something noxious l -- even inside the house. Guess I fell to the opposite extreme. :D

[Valerie226]

Let me understand this..... you are willing to get close enough to a wasp to spray it with pump hairspray, but you wouldn't use a 3 foot long swatter instead :confused: ??? I throw a towel or something soft to knock them down and then swat. I am not brave enough to approach with wimpy pump hair spray.

[testkitchen45]

Let me understand this..... you are willing to get close enough to a wasp to spray it with pump hairspray, but you wouldn't use a 3 foot long swatter instead :confused: ??? I throw a towel or something soft to knock them down and then swat. I am not brave enough to approach with wimpy pump hair spray.
The problem is that I have wood blinds all over the house. When I start pulling the blind away from the window to swat the wasp, the bug feels the little rush of air and begins flying out at me. You can't sneak up on the little ba$tards when you have to pull the blind away first; hence the dilemma.

I love your tagline, and I love my cat and will continue to be his servant--he found a wasp yesterday (I quickly removed the cat b/c I didn't want him to get stung). But I was prepared: we have the world's best canister vacuum with a long-reach attachment; I removed the brush and have sucked a few wasps from the windows into the vacuum. Then I put packing tape lightly over the end, just in case the wasp finds his way out of the dusty bag. Hah! Victory!

Many thanks to all, for your responses. Because the hairspray idea was brought up, I asked my bug guy about it yesterday (he found no nest, but some spaces in the roofline where they're probably coming in and looking for a home). He said that hairspray, Windex, even water is a great idea for knocking it down, b/c a wet bug will instinctively drop and begin preening to get his wings dry. When that happens, you kill him. :rolleyes: I can't wait for the first hard freeze!

HejazSunKat, LOL at your story about asking the blind guy to kill the bug!!

[suebear37]

My dad owned an auto repair place before he retired, & passed this one along to me: go to the auto parts store & buy a can of brake cleaning spray. Works as well as Raid, is much cheaper, & dries clear. No more having to wash sticky goo off the windows. And it won't harm your woodwork.

We swear by it!!

[testkitchen45]

. . . and here we freakin' go again! :mad: :D Bumping this up b/c I had the same problem with wasps in the house last year, and sure 'nuff, it was November 06. Can't really appreciate the cool breezes and the dropping temperatures when those stinging creatures are looking for winter shelter. I've informed (not asked ;) ) my DH that he'll be going by Home Depot today for screening material to put inside our vent covers, and will be doing a search in the attics . . . grrrrr.

What do I want for Christmas? A hard freeze, tonight preferred! :p