Stinging insects

Wasp & hornetcontrol

Wasp nests are the one pest problem where waiting has a real cost. A nest that was a golf ball in May is a hazard by August, and yellowjackets get noticeably more defensive as the colony peaks. If a nest sits near a door, a play area or a work zone, treat it as urgent.

Get help with wasps & hornets How to identify it

Service: Wasp, hornet & yellowjacket removal
Active: Mostly during the day
We serve: Homes and businesses
Peak pressure: Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep

Identification

What you are likely to notice first

Paper wasps, bald-faced hornets and yellowjackets — aggressive late in the season, and a genuine hazard near doorways.

When it peaks in the Puget Sound region

Warning signs

01A steady flight path in and out of one point in the siding, soffit or ground
02A grey papery nest under eaves, in a shed, or hanging from a branch
03Wasps indoors repeatedly at one window — often a nest inside the wall
04Sudden aggressive behaviour around outdoor food in late summer

Our approach

How we handle it

01
Assess the species and site
Yellowjackets in a wall cavity are handled differently from an exposed paper-wasp nest under an eave.
02
Treat and remove
Treatment timed for when the colony is home, with protective equipment and a cleared work zone. Accessible nests are physically removed.
03
Close the void
Where a nest was inside a wall or soffit, the entry is sealed after activity ends so the cavity is not reused next season.

Prevention

What you can do before we arrive

None of this replaces treatment, but all of it makes treatment hold longer. Most of it costs nothing.

Check eaves, sheds and playsets in May and June, when nests are small
Keep outdoor bins closed and rinse recycling
Cap open pipe ends and seal soffit gaps before spring

Common questions