How to Get Rid of a Wasp Nest in Perth's Northern Suburbs

What wasps you have (and which you do not have)

Almost every wasp call in Perth's northern suburbs is a paper wasp. Two species share the eaves: the native common paper wasp and the introduced Asian paper wasp. Both are slim, orange-brown or yellow and black, with long legs that dangle in flight, and both build the familiar grey comb with open cells, anywhere from a fifty-cent piece to a dinner plate in size. A nest holds a few dozen to a couple of hundred wasps. They are not aggressive away from the nest, but they will sting repeatedly to defend it.

A paper wasp on a small nest with eggs in the cells — Paper wasp nest with open grey cells.

They are solitary, build mud tubes or blobs on walls and under eaves, and almost never sting. Their nests can be scraped off with a paint scraper when the wasp is out. If you send us a photo of a mud dauber we will tell you that, and not charge you.

European wasps are the one to take seriously, because they are not meant to be here. They are stockier than paper wasps, bright yellow and black with black antennae, fly with their legs tucked up, and nest in the ground, in compost or inside wall cavities in colonies of thousands. If we see one we photograph it and report it to DPIRD's Pest and Disease Information Service, and they handle the nest. So can anyone: the MyPestGuide Reporter app takes photos straight to DPIRD.

Where and when to find them in Perth

Paper wasp nests appear under eaves, pergolas, hedges, behind shutters and roller-door housings, in retic boxes and meter boxes, and on patio beams. Repeated traffic to one point under the roofline, in a vent or a retic box is a sign to look closer. A grey comb with visible cells and wasps sitting on it, usually facing down, is the nest. Wasps hunting caterpillars over the lawn and veggie patch is another clue: that is what paper wasps eat, and a nest nearby is likely.

Spring (September to October) is when overwintered queens start small nests the size of a golf ball under the eaves. By early summer (November to January) workers emerge and nests reach palm size, with obvious traffic. Most first calls come now, often after someone is stung near a door or the pool. This is the busiest time of year, and the period with the most multiple-sting incidents. By winter (May to August) colonies die off and nests are abandoned. Mated queens shelter in roof voids and wall cavities nearby. Old nests can be scraped off, but the vents they used need screening before spring.

What you can do yourself (without chemicals)

Anything larger, anything above head height, anything in a wall vent or retic box, or anything where you cannot see the whole nest, is a risk. Multiple stings from a defended nest are a genuine medical risk, not an inconvenience.

Why wasps keep building in the same spot: paper wasps choose sheltered, warm, dry overhangs with a clear flight path, and your eaves offer the same thing every year. Mated queens also overwinter in roof voids and wall cavities nearby, and they start next season's nests within metres of where they were raised. Removing the comb and treating the surface with a residual product breaks that cycle for the season. Screening the vent or gap they used breaks it for good.

If you have a wasp problem and you have already sprayed or bombed a nest: get it checked. A professional treatment with an APVMA-registered product applied directly to the comb is what stops them. The same principles apply to other common Perth pests; read our guide to how to get rid of ants for similar identification and treatment steps.

What not to do

Do not knock a nest down and hose it, or hit it with a broom during the day. A disturbed colony defends itself hard, and it will still be there tomorrow. Do not spray it at night by torchlight. Paper wasps fly to light, and the light is in your hand.

When to call a professional

We walk the roofline, pergola, fence line, hedge and outbuildings, find every nest, treat each one with an APVMA-registered insecticide labelled for wasps, remove the comb, and treat the surface so returning foragers are discouraged from rebuilding on the same beam. Activity stops within minutes to an hour. Work is carried out by, or under the direct supervision of, a technician holding a WA pest management technician's licence.

Read more about our wasp removal service in Perth's northern suburbs, including same-day availability and the full list of places we look.

What it costs

Treatment and removal of an accessible paper wasp nest typically costs $180 to $280, including the walk of the roofline for other nests, the residual treatment of the site and the treatment record. Additional nests found on the same visit are itemised at a reduced rate. Nests high on two-storey eaves or needing access equipment are quoted after we have seen the job.

You get the price in writing before we book, and the treatment record after. The treated nest carries a 30-day re-treatment promise (terms at djpest.com.au/warranty): if a treated nest is active again inside that period, we come back at no charge.

No call-out fee, no deposit, seven-day payment terms.

Frequently asked

Can I remove a wasp nest myself?

A brand-new paper wasp nest in early spring, the size of a golf ball with one or two wasps on it, can be knocked down at dusk with a long-handled broom and stepped on, if nobody in the house is allergic and you can retreat indoors quickly. Anything larger or in a higher or hidden spot is too risky. Multiple stings from a defended nest are a genuine medical risk.

Why do wasps keep building in the same spot?

Paper wasps choose sheltered, warm, dry overhangs, and your eaves offer the same thing every year. Mated queens also overwinter in roof voids and wall cavities nearby and start next season's nests within metres of where they were raised. Removing the comb and treating the surface breaks that cycle for the season. Screening the vent or gap they used breaks it for good.

How do I dispose of a wasp nest?

A professional treatment of an active nest is necessary if it is over your head or too large to reach safely. The comb is removed after treatment and disposed of with us.

Do wasps die off in winter?

The colony does. Workers and the old queen die as the weather cools, and the nest is abandoned. The mated new queens do not; they tuck into a roof void, a wall cavity, a wood pile or under bark and start again in spring. An empty nest in June is not a problem, but a house with a lot of old nests under the eaves is a house that will have a lot of new ones in October.

Is it a wasp or a bee?

Paper wasps are slim, with a narrow waist, long legs that dangle in flight and smooth, mostly hairless bodies in orange-brown or yellow and black. They build open grey combs where you can see the cells. Honey bees are stockier, hairy, golden brown, fly with their legs tucked, and nest inside cavities where you see traffic but no comb. If it is bees, see our bee removal page: the approach is different and a beekeeper may be the right call.

Are there European wasps in Perth?

Not as an established population. They are stocky, bright yellow and black with black antennae, nest in the ground, compost or wall cavities, and a mature nest holds thousands of wasps. If we suspect one on a job we photograph it and report it to DPIRD, and they investigate and destroy confirmed nests. We do not treat suspected European wasp nests ourselves, and we do not charge you for the report.

What if I have been stung several times?

For most people, stings from paper wasps cause local pain and swelling that settles in a day or two. Multiple stings, a sting inside the mouth or throat, or any swelling of the face, difficulty breathing or dizziness is an emergency: call 000. See our investment guide for pricing on all pest treatments.

Sources

Wasp Removal Perth, the full service and the investment
Every guide on wasps and bees
Pest management investment ranges in Perth, every service with a typical range
What's my pest?, pick what you saw
All pest guides