Do Fake Wasp Nests Keep Wasps Away—or Make Things Worse? Experts Weigh In

The warmer months bring sunshine and barbeques—unfortunately, it's also a time when bugs like wasps start to emerge. However, there are ways to deter these insects and prevent them from ruining your summer soirée.

One of the most popular methods is hanging a fake wasp nest—one you've made yourself or one you've purchased from a professional. The nests are meant to scare these territorial bugs away. But do they really work? And how effective are they? We spoke to entomologists to get the real story.

Do Fake Wasp Nests Work?

Not really. Not all wasps build the same nests, says Morgan Wilson, a technical services manager at Fox Pest Control. In fact, while the term wasp comprises several species of social stinging insects—paper wasps, yellow jackets, and bald-faced hornets—only paper wasps and bald-faced hornets actually make suspending paper nests, she says.

Even if the type of wasp on your porch makes paper nests, it’s unlikely to be deterred by a fake one. A young wasp queen might even start her own nest in or near a decoy nest, says Wilson. “While some people swear that it is effective, there is no peer-reviewed evidence suggesting that a queen would be scared off by a decoy,” she says.

Benefits and Drawbacks

It depends on how you look at it. If you enjoy wasps, the benefit could be that you are inviting more of them to move in, says Jim McHale, an entomologist and the president at JP McHale Pest Management.

“But the drawback is that they are ineffective at preventing wasp invasions,” he says. So, if your goal is to rid your home of wasps, then this technique isn’t really a good one: “You may also create a harborage site for wasps and other pests by installing the fake nest,” he says.

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Other Methods

Although fake wasp nests don’t really do the trick, there are other methods that experts recommend for keeping wasps away. 

Remove Real Wasp Nests

As winter arrives, an entire wasp colony dies off, including the old queen, says Wilson. So, late winter and early spring are great times to remove a large, established paper nest.

Just be sure to remove the nest as soon as you’re able so you don't get stung. “As the temperatures rise, young queens that overwintered in trees will start building small paper nests under decks or eaves," she adds. These can be easily knocked down while the queen is away foraging, but this may not deter her from rebuilding.

Keep on the Lookout

Always watch where wasps are moving—they can build nests in grills, under decking, and porches. Consistent control and repellency will require constant monitoring, says Wilson.

If you notice many wasps suddenly moving into the area around your property, don’t hesitate to reach out to a pest management professional for insecticide treatments. “A pest control technician is trained to safely manage stinging insects,” she says, “which will reduce the risk of you, your pets, or your children from being stung.”