A woman from NSW asked for help online after discovering a wasp colony building up outside her window.

Jessyanne Gloria Shields posted a photo on the Lismore Information Exchange Facebook group, calling for advice on how to get rid of the skin-crawling infestation.

“How do I get rid of wasps?” she wrote in the caption. “An exterminator?”

“Help.”

Wasp colonies are made from chewed wood and the insect’s saliva. They are commonly found hanging in trees or eaves of houses. Photo from Facebook.​

Fellow locals from Lismore offered a range of, somewhat unconventional, suggestions on how to deal with the situation.

“Deodorant and a lighter usually does the trick,” said one user.

“Wait till dark, get a sheet of newspaper, roll it up nice and long, and burn them,” wrote another.

“They‘re on a second-floor window that I can’t reach,” replied Ms Shields, revealing that the wasp colony was too high up for her to burn.

One member of the Facebook group was quick to call the woman out, telling her to leave the wasps alone.

“If they are on a second-floor window and not worrying anyone by hanging around on the window ledge — why would you kill them?” the user wrote in the comments section.

Wasps will go dormant once the nest is no longer viable. Photo from Brody Brothers Pest Control.​

The best way to remove a wasp colony nest has always been through pest control professionals. Even though it may seem like something you can do by yourself, it is better to leave it to the trained professionals.


What would you do if you were in her situation? Would you do something to remove the colony, or would you just let it be?

 

[CMC]

Wasps are an introduced species and actually do harm to our native bees so yes, destroy them asap. Usually best to do the destruction at night in the dark using a torch covered with red cellophane paper to see the nest and maybe spray like crazy into the nest or pour Derris dust all over the nest.

 

[Jim Nankervis]

The wasps photographed first do more good than harm and you have to brush against their nest before they defend it. Our local school groundsman suggested that if they were in an access-way, knock the nests down with a long-ish stick and they'll build elsewhere. If they're not in the way, leave them alone and enjoy observing their productive behaviour . The second photo shows what I call "Bell-wasps" totally different temperament, very aggressive. My preferred action if they are likely to be encountered is to use fast knock-down insecticide and be able to retreat quickly if required.

 

[tiger]

She didn't notice them until it got that big ??? Just leave them alone .

 

[Vinylted]

I'm with Jim Nankervis & CMC . Major infestations can be controlled by introducing parasitic wasp colony..

 

[Xe]

My worst nightmare is shown in that picture for sure