How I Got Rid of Yellow Jackets in 2 Days (Hidden Nest Treatment)
One summer day I was having lunch on my deck when I noticed a large number of yellow jackets. They became especially annoying once they started flying around the deck and landing near my foot.
They had found a small opening where the balcony connects to the house. In this post, I show how I got rid of them using insecticide dust at that hidden nest entrance.
Watch the Video #
Quick Summary #
The yellow jackets were using a small gap where the deck meets the house as a nest entrance. I loaded insecticide dust into a powder duster, waited until night when activity was low, and applied the dust around that opening. By the next morning, activity had dropped from hundreds of yellow jackets to only a few. Within two days it had almost completely stopped, and after a week there was no visible activity. More than a month later, they had not returned.
Products and Tools #
Always read and follow the product label. Use the recommended protective equipment, and keep people and pets away from the treatment area.
Loading the Powder Duster #
I poured a small amount of insecticide dust into the powder duster. A little goes a long way, so there is no need to fill it completely.
I also wore a 3M respirator to avoid breathing in the dust.
Follow the safety instructions on the product label and use the recommended protective equipment if needed.
Treating the Entrance at Night #
I waited until nighttime, when yellow jacket activity was very low. Then I applied the dust around the suspected entrance — the opening they were using to enter the nest.
Treating after dark made the job much easier. The wasps were not flying around the deck the way they had been during lunch.
Results After One Day and Two Days #
By the next morning, activity had already dropped significantly. Instead of hundreds of yellow jackets, I saw only a few.
That morning, I went back onto the deck and applied a little more dust around the entrance.
Within two days, activity had almost completely stopped. I saw maybe one yellow jacket during the entire day.
I continued applying a small amount of dust over the next few days, following the product instructions. After one week, I did not see any yellow jacket activity at all.
More than a month after treating the entrance, the yellow jackets had not returned. For this location, it was a simple and convenient way to remove them.
When to Call a Professional #
If the nest is difficult to reach, unusually large, or in a dangerous area, consider calling a licensed pest control professional instead of treating it yourself.