Getting rid of them Many wasps, hornets, mud daubers, and yellow jackets build nests near or on houses. Most are black with white, yellow, or orange stripes. Unlike honey bees, they can sting repeatedly. Wasps and hornets, as well as some yellow jackets, build gray, papery nests in such places as trees, attics, or porch ceilings. Other yellow jackets build nests in the ground.
Mud daubers build mud tubes on wood siding, brick, and concrete. Locate the nest; spray It at night when the insects are sluggish. Wear protective clothing and have someone near in case of an extreme reaction to a sting. If you use a flashlight, place it nearby so that escaping insects will fly toward it. Spray exposed nests with carbaryl or malathion or with a commercially available wasp-and-hornet formula. Some sprays can be aimed from as far as 12 feet away. Destroy ground-nesting insects with a dust that contains malathion or carbaryl.
Immediately after directing a few puffs into the entrance, block it with a shovelful of earth. If activity in aerial or ground nests continues after several days, repeat this treatment.