Guide · preserved from the original PestFactor
Wasps in the House: What to Do Right Now
First: don't panic, do assess
A few wasps near a window in late summer usually means a nest nearby — in a wall void, attic, or eave. Do not seal the entry hole while wasps are active inside; trapped wasps chew through drywall into living spaces.
Allergic to stings? If anyone in the home has a known sting allergy and wasps are indoors, treat it as urgent: keep people and pets away from the area and call for help immediately. Severe reactions are a 911 matter, not a pest-control matter.
What not to do
- Don't spray a hardware-store can into a wall void at night and hope — agitated wasps find the nearest exit, which may be your bedroom.
- Don't block the entrance with caulk or foam while the colony is active.
- Don't ignore it until fall. A nest discovered in August was built all summer.
What a pro does differently
An operator treats the void with a dust insecticide that the foragers carry deep into the nest, then returns to confirm the colony is dead before sealing anything. One visit usually does it, because the dust reaches the colony that a surface spray cannot.
Find an Erie operator — and if it is evening, leave the nest alone until you have spoken to one; a wall void disturbed at night, by a tired homeowner, is the worst version of this job.