How to Get Rid of Paper Wasps NZ

Want to get rid of paper wasps? The Local Guys offer professional pest control treatments to get rid of these invasive pests and keep them from coming back. Plus, we have plenty of tips and tricks that you can use to protect your property from paper wasps!

In this helpful guide, you'll discover how to make great homemade pest sprays and DIY paper wasp traps, different ways to remove paper wasp nests, how to protect yourself, and more! But first, let's begin with a short introduction to paper wasps.

Yes, paper wasps are considered pests in New Zealand! They are invasive predators that kill native species, create competition for key food sources, and negatively impact the local environment.

New Zealand has native wasp species, but these are all solitary wasps and not considered pests. In contrast, the invasive types of wasp in NZ are all social wasp species that gather in large numbers and build huge nests. The North and South Island have several different invasive species of wasp.

These include:

• German wasps
• Common wasps
• Asian paper wasps
• Australian paper wasps
• European paper wasps

1. Australian paper wasps (Polistes humilis)

Australian paper wasps have reddish brown bodies with black markings. They are currently found in the North Island.

2. Asian paper wasps (Polistes chinesis)

Asian paper wasps have a black body with yellow stripes. Asian wasps can be found in the North Island and South Island. These are the most widespread types of paper wasps.

3. European paper wasps (Polistes dominula)

European paper wasps have black bodies with distinct yellow stripes or spots. They are currently located in the South Island.

Outside, paper wasps tend to hover around people's flowerbeds, fruit trees, and vegetable gardens. They're also enticed by sweet foods and sugary drinks.

• Dispose of any fallen fruit in the garden or yard
• Don't leave food scraps on tables outside
• Avoid leaving pet food outdoors
• Don't leave open drink cans or bottles outside
• Keep bins closed or covered with a lid
• Put a tarp or mesh over any exposed compost piles
• Cover swimming pools when they're not in use
• Try planting peppermint or spraying peppermint oil (paper wasps hate the smell!)

If paper wasps are building nests around or inside your home, then contacting pest controllers is best. Domestic paper wasps tend to be garden pests who set up in sheds, under roof eaves, or on fenceposts.

However, they can also make their homes in electrical boxes, air vents, wall cavities, and other hard-to-reach places in your home. The Local Guys offer efficient and professional service for domestic pest control, so you know you're in safe hands!

If you are allergic to bee or wasp stings, you should never try to deal with a paper wasp nest on your own. Contact professional pest controllers like The Local Guys to deal with the problem instead. Even if you're not allergic, it's best to leave larger-scale wasp control to an experienced pest technician.

However, if you decide to try removing a paper wasp nest on your own, then plan ahead and be very careful. Remember: it can be difficult to judge the maximum size of a paper wasp nest population, especially if the nest is built in the ground or concealed inside cavities in trees.

Paper wasp nests are made out of chewed up wood fibres, plant material and saliva, so they are papery-looking nests and tend to be brown or grey in colour. They are open-style nests with distinctive hexagonal or honeycomb-shaped cells. These traits are consistent in all the common species of paper wasps in New Zealand.

Asian, European and Australian paper wasp nests are usually found hanging upside from tree branches and roof eaves. But European paper wasps also build underground or on-ground wasp nests.

You can also identify what wasp species you're dealing with by the size of the nest. Paper wasp nests are pear-sized and smaller than common wasp nests and German wasps nests too. German wasp nests are around the size of soccer or beach ball!

1. Locate the paper wasp nest: Wait until the late afternoon when paper wasps are returning to the nest. This will make it easier to track their flight path back to the nest.

2. Prepare your strategy: This could be a bait station, paper wasp trap, insecticide, or DIY pest spray. Make sure you have everything you need before confronting wasps or a nest.

3. Choose the right time: Paper wasps are less active in the early morning and late evening. This is the best chance to het near the nest.

4. Wear suitable safety clothing:

• Protective clothing (covering your whole body)
• Gloves (covering or tucked into sleeves)
• Safety goggles or glasses
• A face shield or mask
• Long socks (tucked into or over pantlegs)
• Enclosed shoes

5. Use your preferred treatment method: Set traps, deploy bait stations, or spray. Be thorough to ensure the best results.

6. Check the results (and repeat treatment if needed): See whether the treatment has eliminated your paper wasps effectively. Reset traps or spray again if necessary.

7. Knock down the nest (if hanging): Use a tool that allows you to maintain a safe distance, like a long stick or broom handle.

8. Dispose of the nest and any dead wasps: Make sure the paper wasp nest is removed completely, otherwise the pests might return!

Professional pest controllers have the most effective elimination methods for paper wasps. But if you want to DIY it, you've got your pick of products and traps to kill paper wasps.

Regular bug sprays and insecticides are effective products for killing individual wasps or dealing with nests. You can try a DIY dish soap and water spray too.

If you prefer to maintain a safe distance from paper wasps, then traps and wasp bait stations are good options too.

If you have paper wasps around and no bug spray available, don't panic! You can whip up a homemade wasp killer using everyday soap or dishwashing liquid. Soap will clog the pores (spiracles) that paper wasps use to breathe and suffocate them. You can use this homemade paper wasp spray on individual wasps or on the nest.

Fill a spray bottle with:

• 1/4 cup or 1/2 cup of liquid dish soap
• 1 cup of water

If you're going to spray the entire nest:

• Assess the size of the paper wasps nest before you start spraying
• Prepare a large or double-batch of DIY wasp killer (you don't want to run out halfway through!)
• Plan to spray in the evening or early morning when paper wasps are less active
• Make sure you wear suitable protective clothing
• Spray the entire nest as quickly as possible
• Be cautious and retreat if necessary!

Want to set a trap to catch any paper wasps hanging around? Any direct treatment of nests can aggravate paper wasps. By setting up a trap to lure pests, you can maintain a safe distance.

Wasp Bait Recipe:

• 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup of sugar
• 1/4 cup of water
• 1 tablespoon of regular dish soap

Do not use honey in your paper wasp trap: Honey could lure bees into the trap instead.

Steps:

• Pour the mixture into a classic plastic bottle trap or a plastic container
• Set the trap in an area away from windows/doors or places used by people and pets
• Empty the trap, clean it, and refill it every 2-3 days
• Continue setting the trap until you're satisfied the paper wasps are gone

Take care when emptying the trap: Make sure the paper wasps are dead before disposing of them.

Our technicians provide expert pest control for paper wasps and other common wasp species in New Zealand. You can count on a satisfaction guarantee with The Local Guys! Internal treatments for paper wasps have a 3 month warranty. If your property receives an internal and external pest treatment, you're covered for 6 months.

Our pest controllers:

• Have a 100% satisfaction guarantee! If paper wasps appear while you're still under warranty, our technicians will provide another treatment at no extra cost!
  
  
• Are fully-licensed and trained to deliver pest control services
  
  
• Have an average rating of 4.5 stars
  
  
• Hold $5,000,000 in Public Liability Insurance
  
  
• Undergo regular Police Clearance checks
  
  
• Require a Working With Children Check (WWCC)
  
  
• Have a First Aid Certificate
  
  
• Donate $5 to World Vision New Zealand for every job

Routine pest control services will keep paper wasps from coming back and provide lasting defence against pests. If you have persistent wasp activity or a severe infestation on your property, then contact The Local Guys! Our pest professionals can provide regular inspections, check your property and gardens for wasp activity, remove active nests of wasps, and provide long-lasting protection.

Paper wasps in New Zealand are most active from early spring to late summer (or early autumn) when the weather is warmer. That makes spring, summer and autumn the peak pest seasons and the best time to organise inspections or preventative treatments!

Need a pest controller to remove an active wasp nest on your property? Contact The Local Guys! Bees and wasps are common queries for our expert pest controllers, so you can trust our technicians to take care of things.