Wasp & Hornet Nest Removal

Which stinging insect is it?

Most stings in Colorado come from two insects: the western yellowjacket and the European paper wasp. Western yellowjackets are compact, black and yellow wasps that nest underground or in cavities near the ground, so you often do not see the nest until someone mows over it. They are the ones that crowd around picnic tables and trash cans late in summer. European paper wasps are slimmer, with long legs that dangle in flight. They have become common in yards across the state since they arrived around 2000, and they build open, umbrella-shaped paper nests under eaves, deck boards and railings, and in small cavities such as grill lids, clothesline poles and play equipment. Bald-faced hornets and aerial yellowjackets build the large, enclosed gray paper nests you see hanging in trees, in shrubs or on buildings.

When nests become a problem

Wasp nests start small in spring, when a single queen begins building, and grow all summer. By late summer a yellowjacket nest can hold many workers, and they defend it hard, which is when most stings happen. Paper wasps, yellowjackets and hornets all build a new nest each year. The old nest is abandoned by late fall, and a nest you find in winter is usually empty and can be left or knocked down. If a nest is near a door, a play area or a deck you use, it is worth dealing with as soon as you find it.

How we remove a nest

The technician first identifies the insect and finds the nest entrance, which is not always where the wasps seem to be. We treat the nest with a product labeled for wasps, often early or late in the day when most of the colony is home, and remove exposed nests once they are no longer active. Ground nests are treated at the entrance, and nests inside walls are treated through the entry hole. We do not plug the hole in a wall until the nest is dead, because blocked wasps can chew their way into the house. If the nest is still active 7 days later, we come back at no charge.

Honey bees are different

Honey bees are pollinators, and a swarm hanging on a branch or a fence is usually just resting while scouts look for a new home. We do not spray honey bee swarms. We refer you to a local beekeeper through the Colorado State Beekeepers Association swarm hotline, which routes calls to volunteers who collect swarms. Bumble bee nests last only one season and are best left alone if they are out of the way.

Staying safe

Do not swat at wasps near a nest, block the entrance or pour gasoline or other liquids into a ground nest. If anyone has trouble breathing, swelling of the face or throat, or dizziness after a sting, call 911 right away.