Getting rid of bees and wasps starts with figuring out exactly what you’re dealing with, because the approach is completely different for each. Bees are best relocated alive, while wasps can be eliminated with sprays, traps, or soapy water. The safest time to tackle any nest is at dusk or after dark, when the insects have returned and are least active.
Identify What You’re Dealing With
Before you grab a can of spray, take a close look at the insect and its nest. Bees have fuzzy, hair-covered bodies. Wasps and hornets have smooth, shiny bodies and a more defined “waist” between their thorax and abdomen. This distinction matters because honeybees are critical pollinators in decline, and killing a honeybee colony should be a last resort.
Nest location and appearance also help with identification. Paper wasps build open, umbrella-shaped nests under eaves, porch ceilings, and deck railings. Yellowjackets nest underground, often with a single large entrance hole in the soil, and they aggressively defend their colony. Hornets build large, enclosed paper nests that hang from trees or the sides of buildings. Honeybees nest inside wall cavities, hollow trees, or other enclosed spaces, and their comb is made of wax rather than papery material.
If you see small individual holes scattered across bare ground or your lawn, those almost certainly belong to solitary native bees. These ground-nesting bees don’t have a queen, rarely sting, and will fly away rather than confront you. They’re harmless and beneficial, so leave them alone.
Relocating Bees Alive
If you have honeybees living inside a wall, soffit, or other structure, the best move is calling a beekeeper who does “cutouts,” which is the process of physically removing a colony from inside a structure. Honeybees can’t be lured out of an established nest because part of the colony will never abandon their developing brood and stored honey. A beekeeper has to open the cavity, remove the comb, and transfer the bees to a hive box.
Your state or regional beekeeping association typically maintains a list of beekeepers who perform cutouts. Local beekeeping clubs are another good resource. Because cutouts require significant time and skill, expect to pay a fee. Swarm removal is different: if you spot a large ball of bees hanging from a tree branch or fence post, that’s a swarm looking for a new home, and many beekeepers will collect swarms for free.
Removing Wasp Nests Yourself
For paper wasp nests and smaller hornet nests you can see and reach, DIY removal is straightforward if you follow a few rules. Do it at dusk or later, after all the wasps have returned to the nest for the night. They’re sluggish in cooler temperatures and less likely to mount an organized defense. Wear long pants, long sleeves, closed shoes, and pull a hood up around your face and neck.
You have two main options: commercial aerosol sprays or soapy water.
Commercial Wasp Sprays
Aerosol wasp sprays use fast-acting insecticides that knock wasps down on contact within seconds. Most cans shoot a stream 15 to 20 feet, which lets you stay well back from the nest. Stand as far away as you can while still hitting the nest entrance directly. Saturate the nest thoroughly, then leave the area. Come back the next day to confirm there’s no activity before knocking the nest down.
Soapy Water Method
If you want to skip chemical sprays, a hose-end sprayer loaded with about a quarter cup of dish soap works surprisingly well. The soap breaks down the waxy coating on the insects’ bodies, which suffocates them. Use hot water if possible, get the suds flowing, and blast the nest from as far back as your water pressure allows. It doesn’t matter whether you use conventional or natural dish soap. If it cuts grease, it will work.
Yellowjacket Ground Nests
Underground yellowjacket nests are the most dangerous to deal with yourself. These colonies can contain thousands of workers, and they will swarm aggressively when disturbed. If the nest is in a high-traffic area, hiring a pest control professional is the safer choice. If you do tackle it yourself, mark the entrance during daylight, then return well after dark. Pour soapy water directly into the hole, or apply a dust-based insecticide into the entrance according to the product label. Cover the hole with a bowl or stone immediately and leave the area quickly.
Natural Repellents and Traps
Essential oils can help keep wasps away from patios, decks, and outdoor eating areas. Research has found that clove oil alone reduced wasp visits to baited traps by 95%, and a blend of clove, geranium, and lemongrass oils completely blocked wasps’ attraction to meat baits. The active compounds doing the work are eugenol (from clove), citral (from lemongrass), and menthone (from mint).
To make a simple repellent spray, combine about 20 drops of clove oil, 10 drops of lemongrass oil, and 5 drops of geranium oil in a small spray bottle, then fill with water, witch hazel, or vodka. Spray it around doorframes, patio furniture, and anywhere you want to discourage wasps from lingering. You’ll need to reapply every few days, especially after rain.
For trapping, cut the top third off a two-liter plastic bottle, invert it into the base like a funnel, and fill the bottom with a 1:1 mix of sugar and water. Wasps crawl in and can’t find their way out. Place traps at the perimeter of your yard, away from where people sit, so you draw wasps away rather than toward your gathering.
Some people hang a crumpled brown paper bag to mimic a hornet nest, relying on the idea that wasps are territorial and avoid nesting near other colonies. It’s a low-effort trick worth trying, though results vary.
Preventing Nests From Forming
The easiest nest to remove is one that never gets built. In early spring, queen wasps emerge from hibernation and scout for sheltered spots to start new colonies. A quick inspection of your home’s exterior in March or April can save you a much bigger problem in July.
Seal cracks and gaps around eaves, porch ceilings, window frames, and soffits with caulk or weatherstripping. Check door and window screens for holes or tears, and replace any that are damaged. Wasps only need a tiny gap to get inside a wall void or attic space.
Food management matters just as much. Keep outdoor trash cans tightly sealed, and don’t leave food uncovered during barbecues or picnics. Store food in sealed containers and clean up spills immediately. Yellowjackets in particular are drawn to sugary drinks, ripe fruit, and meat, so leaving any of those out is an open invitation.
What to Do if Someone Gets Stung
A normal sting reaction includes sharp pain, redness, and swelling at the site that fades over hours to days. Scrape out a bee stinger with a flat edge (a credit card works well) rather than squeezing it, which can inject more venom. Ice and an over-the-counter antihistamine help with swelling and itching.
Anaphylaxis is the serious concern. Symptoms include hives or flushed skin across the body, swelling of the face, lips, or throat, wheezing or difficulty breathing, a weak and rapid pulse, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, or loss of consciousness. If any of these appear, call 911 immediately. Don’t wait to see if symptoms improve on their own.
If the person carries an epinephrine autoinjector, help them use it right away by pressing it against their outer thigh. Have them lie flat and stay still. An antihistamine pill like diphenhydramine is not fast enough to treat anaphylaxis on its own. Even if symptoms start improving after epinephrine, the person still needs emergency medical care because anaphylaxis symptoms can return hours later.