How to deal with Wasps/Hornets suddenly inside home during this early heat spell?

[ColonelS]

I am having the same problem now. 2 wasps have found their way in to my apartment so far (either through the fireplace or a gap in the patio door). They were quickly sprayed with Raid Wasp and Hornet spray and flushed down the toilet. However, everyday i am keep coming across them as i leave the house and today one flew right at my face.

Best bet is to just sit in your car and watch where they go. This will be where the nest is.

[newbie09]

Really think this early heat wave (all these days of temps in the mid-80s and above) is making the insects around here crazy! Yesterday I tried again to sit on the terrace but there were 2 or 3 of these crazy wasps just flying around slowly in circles. And then at night, one of them just attached itself to the screen on one of the windows & slept there! (at least it looked like sleeping, might have been dead but it was gone in the morning.)

And coming home this afternoon, walking up the 3 flights of stairs to the condo, two wasps at the top of the stairs flew right at my face! Like, "Welcome Home!" Luckily I ducked and they flew away down the stairs.

So, are these wasps/insects casing the place? scoping it out for nest possibilities? They fly around real slow and "hover" just like someone else here pointed out. I'm worried about returning home and finding a whole group of them camped out in my living room!

[brokensky]

I have had wasps harrass me and my dog, lol. But I get really concerned when the intruder is a hornet - and we have some troublesome hornets here, w/ vicious stings.

I keep a bottle of window cleaner (w/ ammonia) on my desk. When they get in and hover around me, I wait til they get to the window and zap 'em with the window cleaner. Then, while they struggle, I get a paper towel, scoop them up and throw them outside. I come back and spray some more window cleaner and clean my window sills/glass.

It works and doesn't leave a terrible smell and toxic fumes.

I also use window cleaner for little ants that get in around the kitchen sink. Just spray, wipe them up, and spray again to sanitize the sink area.

[newbie09]

Great idea about the window cleaner! (wish I had thought of it.)

Went out early this morning on the terrace when it was nice and cool, with the birds chirping, everything all peaceful. Had to clean off another layer of yellow pollen off the table/chairs. Then decided to take a broom w/ plastic bag wrapped around the top to knock off spider webs from the terrace ceiling (high vaulted ceiling over this terrace.) That's when I saw them, wasps "sleeping" in corners of the terrace ceiling, two wasps together in two different corners! They're hanging out, waiting for the temps to heat up during the day. Well, I smashed each grouping with my bag-covered broom but one of them got away & flew off, others were killed. Guess I'll have to do this every morning, catch them "sleeping."

(Tried to sit out there after that with my tea & enjoy the cool morning but within an hour, a wasp was flying in circles around my chair-- maybe the one that got away?)

[brokensky]

Originally Posted by newbie09

Great idea about the window cleaner! (wish I had thought of it.)

Went out early this morning on the terrace when it was nice and cool, with the birds chirping, everything all peaceful. Had to clean off another layer of yellow pollen off the table/chairs. Then decided to take a broom w/ plastic bag wrapped around the top to knock off spider webs from the terrace ceiling (high vaulted ceiling over this terrace.) That's when I saw them, wasps "sleeping" in corners of the terrace ceiling, two wasps together in two different corners! They're hanging out, waiting for the temps to heat up during the day. Well, I smashed each grouping with my bag-covered broom but one of them got away & flew off, others were killed. Guess I'll have to do this every morning, catch them "sleeping."

(Tried to sit out there after that with my tea & enjoy the cool morning but within an hour, a wasp was flying in circles around my chair-- maybe the one that got away?)

Ugggh. I go through the same thing - even with knocking them down from the corners. I got the water hose out this morning and I have this really neat high pressure nozzle . . . used it on DESTROY to whack the wasps on the corners. It helped. The good thing is, this also served to wash off pollen and water my flowers simultaneously, lol.

It's hard to go out in the morning and enjoy the cup of joe when there are wasps, hornets, etc buzzing around. I do the daily knock off w/ webs and wasps . . . I have these adorable chameleons and cute little toads that eat bugs and I love having them around, as they help. But it seems this year, there are a lot of flying insects hanging around.