By Ryan, Owner, Knockout Pest Control

What I Walked Into

August is usually when I start getting more calls about wasps around Metro Vancouver. By this point in the summer, the nests have had time to grow, and people are spending more time outside enjoying their patios, decks, and backyards.

This one started with a homeowner who told me they couldn't sit outside for very long without wasps showing up.

At first, they only noticed one or two flying around the back deck. Before long, they were seeing several at a time around the barbecue, the patio table, and even near the back door.

The home was clean and well looked after. It had a covered deck, mature shrubs along the fence, and a small garden the family spent a lot of time in during the summer.

Nothing looked unusual when I first arrived, but the homeowner said the wasps seemed to appear every afternoon no matter what they were doing.

That usually tells me there's a nest somewhere nearby.

The Problem

As I walked around the property, I spent a few minutes simply watching where the wasps were flying.

That is something I do on most wasp jobs. They usually tell you where they're coming from if you slow down and watch them for a bit.

It didn't take long before I noticed several flying to the same corner of the roofline above the deck.

Tucked under the eaves was a nest that wasn't obvious from the ground, but it had grown enough that the workers were constantly coming and going.

I also noticed a few fallen apples near the edge of the yard that had started breaking down. Along with sugary drinks left out on the patio after meals, they were giving the wasps another reason to stick around.

The homeowner wasn't worried about the nest itself as much as they were worried about their family.

They had stopped eating outside because every meal seemed to come with a few unwanted visitors.

That is something I hear a lot during August. The nests are bigger, there are more worker wasps, and people notice them because they are outside enjoying the last part of summer.

The Process

The first thing I wanted to do was confirm exactly where the wasps were nesting.

There is no point chasing the wasps if you can see if the nest is still active.

Once I located it, I checked around the rest of the roofline, the shed, the fence, and underneath the deck to make sure there were not any other nests starting nearby.

After treating the active nest, I removed it once it was safe to do so.

As we walked around the property together, we also talked about a few things that were encouraging the wasps to hang around.

We cleaned up the fallen fruit, talked about covering food and drinks when eating outside, and discussed keeping an eye on the eaves and other sheltered areas where new nests often begin.

The goal was not just to deal with the nest that was there that day.

The goal was to make the property a place wasps were less likely to return to.

The Outcome

Within a couple of days, the homeowner noticed the difference.

Instead of seeing wasps circling the patio every afternoon, they were able to sit outside without constantly watching over their shoulders.

When I checked back the following week, the deck was quiet, and there were no signs of new activity around the roofline.

The homeowner told me it was nice being able to have dinner outside again without worrying about wasps landing on the table or around the kids.

Sometimes that is the biggest change.

The backyard simply feels like somewhere you can enjoy again.

DIY Advice

During August, here are a few things I recommend homeowners keep an eye on:

• Take a walk around your home every week or two and look under eaves, decks, sheds, and fences for small nests.

• Pick up fallen fruit from the yard before it starts attracting wasps.

• Keep lids on outdoor rubbish bins and clean up spills around them.

• Cover food and sugary drinks when eating outside.

• Trim back shrubs and branches that make sheltered areas harder to see.

• If you notice more wasps than usual around one part of the house, spend a few minutes watching where they're flying. They will often lead you straight to the nest.

• If a nest is growing close to an entryway, deck, or anywhere your family spends time, it's usually best to deal with it before it gets larger.

  

Professional Insight

One thing I explain to homeowners quite often is that August is different from the start of summer.

By now, wasp colonies have had months to grow, so the nests are larger and there are simply more wasps flying around.

That is why people often tell me, "We hardly noticed them in June, but now they're everywhere."

Around Metro Vancouver, I pay close attention to rooflines, eaves, decks, sheds, fences, and trees because those are some of the most common places I find nests this time of year.

Removing a few wasps you see around the yard usually doesn't solve the problem if the nest is still active.

Finding the nest is what makes the biggest difference.

Closing

Every August, I visit homeowners around Metro Vancouver who tell me they have stopped using parts of their backyard because of wasps.

Most of the time, it starts with seeing a few flying around the deck or patio.

Before long, they're changing where they eat, where the kids play, or how they use the yard.

If you're noticing more wasps around your home than usual, it's worth taking a closer look before the nest gets any bigger.

– Ryan

[https://knockoutpestcontrol.ca/wasps]