Safe nest removal for wasps, hornets and yellow jackets — never a DIY job.
Wasps, hornets, yellow jackets or bees moved in around your home or business? Don't reach for the ladder and a can of spray — disturbing a defended nest is how most serious sting incidents happen. Strib Pest Control's specialists remove stinging insects safely, with protective equipment and methods matched to the species and nest location.
In Wisconsin, stinging insect pressure peaks in late summer: colonies reach maximum size in August and September, and yellow jackets grow bolder and more aggressive as natural food declines. That's exactly when amateur nest removal is most dangerous — and when professional treatment matters most.
Species we remove across the Madison area:
Three signs of a nearby nest: concentrated wasp traffic to one spot, steady buzzing from a wall or eave, and the visible papery nest itself.
Stinging insects send more than half a million Americans to emergency rooms every year. Wasps and hornets sting repeatedly, ground-nesting yellow jackets swarm when a mower passes over the nest, and for the roughly 5% of people with venom allergies, a sting can trigger life-threatening anaphylaxis. Structural nests carry extra risk: yellow jackets in a wall void will eventually chew through the drywall, and abandoned honeybee combs in walls leak honey and attract other pests. Nest removal is genuinely one job to leave to professionals.
Our licensed technicians inspect your home and yard, locate every nest (there's often more than one by late summer), and remove them using the method suited to the location — direct treatment and removal for exposed nests, void treatments or vacuum extraction for nests inside walls, and non-toxic pyrethrum-based options where appropriate. For honeybees, we work toward relocation rather than extermination. Every service includes follow-up to make sure returning foragers are dealt with and the entry points are addressed.
We do not recommend it. Store sprays rarely reach the queen and larvae deep in the nest, survivors rebuild, and a partially treated colony is far more aggressive. Wall-void and ground nests are especially dangerous DIY targets. Professional removal is fast, guaranteed and much safer.
Do not seal the hole and do not knock on the wall. If the colony's exit is blocked, yellow jackets will chew through the drywall into your living space. Call us: we will assess whether it is wasps or bees and remove the colony through the appropriate method.
We avoid it whenever possible. Honeybees are essential pollinators, and swarms and accessible colonies can often be relocated with a local beekeeper. When bees have built comb inside a structure, we will talk you through the options — including removal of the comb to prevent honey damage and secondary pests.
Fast, honest, guaranteed pest control across Madison and Dane County.
