Best Wasp Powders

Always wear gloves and a filter mask when using insecticide powders. We quickly learned that as careful as you can be, some dust will inevitably get into the air. You don’t want to breathe in these dust powders or absorb them through your skin, so take proper precautions.

Before using a dusting powder indoors (if you will be doing so for other insects, too) be sure all food surfaces and utensils are covered entirely during treatment. Exposed food must be stored away from the powdered area or removed altogether.

Also, be sure to apply them with proper ventilation. If you’re using dust indoors, make sure you have screens on your windows and then open your windows wide to allow any rogue particles of dust to filter out of your home.

When you apply insecticide dust, make sure the duster is filled only around halfway, no more than two-thirds full. If it is loaded with more power than that, it can clump and clog in the thin opening. If you do experience a small clog in the duster tube, you can gently tap the tube to help break up the blockage. It is vitally important to keep powders very dry, as any humidity that seeps into the container will cause your wasp dust to clump and clog much more.

Apply insecticide dust directly into cracks, crevices, openings in floors and ceilings, around electrical fittings with gaps, beneath and behind cabinets, under refrigerators, around windows, door frames, in attics, and crawl spaces.

If you treat a wasp nest directly, be prepared. Wear clothing that will cover your skin as much as possible, use thick gloves, a filter mask, and stand as far back as possible while still reaching the nest with the powder. Gently tap the tube of your duster to be sure there are no clogs and give it a quick test shot. Do not stand directly under a nest if you are going to spray or dust one, as it can fall with any extra weight or disturbance from powder or the wasps.

Use a wider tube for maximum coverage as fast as possible. Pump enough insecticide dust to coat the nest entirely or until you hear or see any disruption of wasps. If they begin to emerge, leave immediately. You can always return later to apply more once the nest has calmed down. Never use a brush to apply insecticide to a wasp nest.

It’s always best, if you are allergic, to hire a professional exterminator to get rid of a nest. Never try to burn a wasp nest or flood a nest with water. This practice will make these insects angry and aggressive.