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Scott McCombe
Pest Control Specialist
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Forum Comments (3)
To keep earwigs from coming in from outside, remove leaf litter or organic debris from around your home, remove as many moisture sources as possible, and seal holes around the exterior of your home. Applying insecticides around the perimeter of your home's foundation can also be very effective.
This species of wood-destroying insect is very active at night but will be quite inactive in daylight hours. Like termites, ants have a queen, workers, and soldiers. Carpenter ants have dimorphic workers, meaning there are two types: the large (½-inch) soldiers, which will travel up to 100 yards from the colony, and smaller (¼-inch) workers which stay much closer to the main nest and aren't particularly distinctive from other house ants.
If you do want to give it a shot yourself, treatment can be done a number of ways. I’d use a conventional pesticide that’s designed for wasps and follow the label instructions. Wear personal protective equipment, including a bee suit and bee veil. Approach the nest quietly and slowly to avoid startling the wasps and just observe them. After observing and identifying all entry/exit points, treat these areas directly with the pesticide by injecting it into the cavity or nest itself. After sufficient time has elapsed and you don’t see any more wasps, remove and destroy the nest by hand.
Q&A Comments (49)
Co-authored Articles (37)
Bat Bites: What They Look Like & Why They Can Be Deadly
Learn whether you’ll get rabies from a bat bite Bat bites typically look like two small puncture wounds, a light scratch, or an indentation in your skin. While it's not common to get bitten by a bat, bat bites shouldn'...
How to Remove Bats from Your Home
Reclaiming your attic for good If bats have taken up residence in your home, you may have a bigger problem on your hands than noise. Invading bats leave behind droppings that pose health risks and slowly corrode wood and...
How to
Get Rid of Hornets
If you've noticed hornets buzzing around your yard and want to get rid of them, track them back to their nest. Spray the nest at night with an aerosol insecticide labeled for wasps and hornets. Be sure to wear thick prot...
How to Make & Use a Homemade Flea Trap
Pro tips to catch fleas from a pest control expertFleas can be a real pain, especially when they start infesting an area of your home. Thankfully, there are many ways to get rid of fleas. We spoke to pest control special...
How to
Catch a Bat in Your House
It can be annoying or even scary when a bat finds its way into your house, and it's tough to get rid of when it's panicked and flying around. No matter how scared you are, staying calm and focusing on catching the bat, n...
How to
Kill a Hornet Nest
Hornets are types of wasps that can sting multiple times when they're provoked. When hornets build a nest near your home, they can be a nuisance and danger to you or your family. Luckily, hornet nests are easy to get rid...
How to
Identify a Hornet
Belonging to the genus Vespa, hornets are the largest and most aggressive members of the wasp family (Vespidae) with the largest species being as long as 2.2 inches (5.5 cm). However, the European hornet is not aggressi...
How to Safely Get Wasps Out of Your House
Natural ways to shoo wasps out the door (& keep them out) During the spring and summer, the occasional wasp might find its way inside your house. Luckily, there are several easy ways to get rid of wasps in your home. We�...
How to
Remove a Bat from a Home
Bats are not usually aggressive, so finding a flying bat in your home is often the result of a bat growing confused or lost. Bats are likely just as frightened of you as you are of them, so remain calm. It can be easy ...
How to
Get Rid of Earwigs
Earwigs, or pincher bugs, can be a nuisance but it is possible to get rid of them. These bugs are relatively harmless, but they will feast on plant leaves and decaying wood, causing damage. Earwigs thrive in damp condit...
How to
Identify Carpenter Ants
Here's how to know if you're dealing with carpenter ants and what to do about itCarpenter ants play key ecosystem roles, particularly by aiding in the decomposition of decaying trees. They also can infiltrate homes and o...
Get Rid of Mud Daubers for Good: Identification, Treatment, & Prevention
Mud daubers aren’t dangerous, but they can be irritating and unsightly. You might not want them buzzing around your property, especially if you’re allergic to wasps. We’ll tell you everything you need to know about...
How to
Get Rid of Flesh Flies
Flesh flies are a common pest attracted to decay from animals, garbage, and other organic matter. They are easy to identify because of their bright red eyes and gray stripes. To take back your home from these unwanted vi...
How to Get a Lizard Out of Your House & Keep Them Away
Pest control specialist Scott McCombe explains what's driving lizards into your homeDo lizards like to hang out inside your house? These little reptiles keep the insect population under control, so it's best to chase the...
How to Kill Ant Hills Quickly & Prevent Infestations
Locate, identify, and remove ant hills from your yard Ant hills can be a real eyesore on your lawn or in your garden, and if you’re not careful, they can lead to an ant infestation in your house. Luckily, there are sev...
How to
Get Rid of a European Hornet
European hornets can cause damage to plants and shrubbery in your yard. If you have an infestation, how you deal with it depends on the severity and whether or not you've located a nest. Try traps and sprays and, if all ...
How to
Kill a Wasp
Get rid of wasps and prevent nests from moving into your homeWasps are common and frustrating pests. Because some people are often allergic to wasps, they can also be quite dangerous if they take up residence in your spa...
How to
Prevent Flea Bites
Dealing with itchy, annoying flea bites? These pesky pests are an irritant for many, but fortunately, there are expert-backed ways to get them to stop biting you. In this article, we’ll tell you how to prevent bites on...
How to Scare Away Owls (& Stop Them from Coming Back)
Pest control specialist Scott McCombe explains how to legally deter owls from bothering you and your animalsOwls can be a concern for homeowners with pets or small livestock such as chickens or rabbits, because they occa...
How to Eliminate Dust Mites from Your Bed
Similar to lice, mites are skin parasites that feast on dry and infected skin, causing intense itching, pain, embarrassment and being socially ostracized from friends and family. Scabies, the infamous painful skin condit...
