The One Mistake You Should Never Make If You Find a Wasp in Your Home, Pest Pros Say

Nobody wants an unwelcome visitor in their home, and wasps definitely fall into that category. Finding one flying around your living space can be alarming, but before you start swatting at it and potentially get yourself stung, we asked some pest pros what’s the right thing to do in this situation.

Here’s what pest pros say you should do if you find a wasp in your home.

What to Do If a Wasp Gets in Your Home

All of our experts agree: If you find a wasp in your home, you should stay calm, not make sudden movements, and definitely not swat at it.

“If a wasp flies in, you do not need to swat it unless you are okay starting a fight you might lose,” says pest expert Allan Bossel.

Open doors and windows so that the wasp can hopefully find its way out—it doesn’t want to be in your house any more than you want it there.

If after 20 or so minutes, it still hasn’t left, your next line of defense is to catch it and release it outside.

“Use the glass-and-paper method,” entomologist Tracy Ellis recommends. “Slowly place a clear glass over the wasp, slide stiff paper underneath, and carry it outside for release.”

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Where a Wasp Might Hide Inside

If you see a wasp fly into your home but can’t locate it anywhere, there are some specific places you can check for it.

“Wasps naturally move toward light sources, so check windows, skylights, and lamp shades first. They often rest in upper corners of rooms, behind window blinds, or on ceiling fixtures where it’s warm,” Ellis says.

Check peculiar, warm spaces like near or behind appliances, around sweets left lying around like open soda cans, and behind curtains and wall hangings.

“During the colder months, some species like paper wasps may even hibernate indoors, so check areas like wall voids, attics, and other sheltered spaces,” entomologist Jim Fredericks says.

How a Wasp Might Get Inside

Wasps find their way inside through windows and doors, of course, but also through less expected openings.

“They can get in through gaps as narrow as 6 millimeters, so pretty much any unsealed crack around windows, door sweeps, attic vents, or torn screens is fair game,” Bossel says. “Leaving doors propped open or using window air conditioning units without proper sealing gives them a straight shot indoors.”

Obviously it can’t be helped if your visitor came through the chimney, but there are solutions for certain gaps that are letting these guys enter freely.

“To prevent entry, seal cracks and crevices with silicone-based caulk, repair damaged screens, and ensure weatherstripping around doors and windows is in good condition,” Fredericks suggests.