PK-S02 · Wasps, hornets, and bees
How to get rid of Paper wasps
Polistes spp.
Paper wasps build open umbrellas of comb, not enclosed footballs. They hunt caterpillars and are usually calmer than yellowjackets until you bump the nest. A small spring nest at head height by a door is worth removing at night with PPE; a high quiet eave nest can be left. They are not hornets.
How to identify Paper wasp
- Slender, legs dangling in flight, open comb with visible cells.
- Nests under eaves, not typically in the ground.
Signs of an infestation
- Open comb on a porch ceiling.
- Wasps at a doorway.
Biology and why they show up
Founding queens in spring. Open nests. Less dumpster scavenging than Vespula.
Health and property risk
Stings near traffic paths. Beneficial predation — do not treat every comb as an emergency.
Proven control sequence
Work in this order. Skipping inspection or exclusion is why most “treatments” bounce back in a week.
- Judge the conflict. Door-height nests go. High unused eaves can stay.
- Night treatment or scrape after knockdown. Labeled spray, PPE, then remove the comb. Not shorts in July on a huge nest.
Matching tools for these steps can be bought on Amazon. Buy the field kit.
Tools for paper wasps under eaves
Small open nests are sometimes a dusk foam job. High nests and allergy are a different decision.
As an Amazon Associate, Pest Kill earns from qualifying purchases. The EPA label is the law for any pesticide. These links match the sequence on this page — they are not a shopping list instead of identification. Details: advertising disclosure. Browse the full tools catalog.
Labeled product
Wasp and hornet foam spray
A labeled jet for a small, visible eave nest at dusk — not a broom, not a daylight attack, not a wall void. If you are allergic, this is a 911 plan, not an aisle can.
Prevention that actually sticks
- Spring checks of play equipment.
- Screen porch ceilings.
When to hire a licensed professional
Large nests, second stories, venom allergy.
United States and Tier 1 notes
US-wide. Similar Polistes globally.
Common questions
Are they hornets?
No. Hornet nests are enclosed. Paper wasp combs are open.