The Gotcha Sprayer and Gotcha Sprayer Pro adaptors enable you to attach and trigger any aerosol, including wasp and hornet spray from an extension pole.  Either adaptor is the ultimate tool for killing wasps, paper wasps, yellow jackets, carpenter bees, and hornets nests.  The Gotcha Sprayer Prowill trigger virtually any aerosol can diameter, length, and nozzle style.  In addition, it will also work with our Powder Duster.  It attaches to any extension pole with a standard American threaded tip.  It will attach to your existing extension pole (if it has a standard American threaded tip) or you can purchase an extension polefrom our online store.

Spraying wasps, yellow jackets and hornets is much easier with the Gotcha Sprayer and Gotcha Sprayer Pro adaptors.  Spraying cans of aerosol wasp and hornet spray from the ground when trying to reach the peak of a roof or the eaves is a messy job.  The over-spray will get on your house, in your eyes, and in your lungs.  Not to mention the risk of spraying angry wasps, yellow jackets, hornets, or carpenter bees from up on a ladder.  Simply insert a can of wasp and hornet spray, secure by tightening the strap, attach to an extension pole, and spray.  By positioning the wasp and hornet spray directly in front of the nest, there is less over-spray and less mess.  With the Gotcha Sprayer Pro you can easily add a powder duster for applying insecticide dusts.  Sometimes wasp and hornet spray alone will not kill carpenter bees. Using the Gotcha Sprayer Pro with a powder duster, enables you to leave a residual dust in the carpenter bee nest, eventually killing the carpenter bees.  The Gotcha Sprayer Pro can be purchased alone or as a complete kit, enabling you to spray aerosols or powder dusters with the same unit, with a price much less than the Bee Pole or the Dustick (dust stick).   

The stinging insects that people most commonly come in contact with are classified in the order of Hymenoptera. That includes: yellow jackets, hornets, and wasps. In general, yellow jackets, hornets, and wasps have a negative reputation around people, however when they are not intruding in our personal space, they can be helpful in certain ways: yellow jackets, hornets, and wasps feed their young largely on flies and caterpillars. Yellow jackets, hornets, and wasps help keep these pest populations in check. Unfortunately, the personality of these insects changes as the season progresses. Early on yellow jackets, wasps, and hornets will only defend their nests when they feel threatened. As the season progresses and food sources become less available, they become more aggressive. Yellow jackets, hornets, and wasps are considered social insects and live in colonies. Within the colonies there is a distinct hierarchy between builders, gatherers, and reproducers. Some colonies of insects continue for many years, others such as yellow jackets, hornets, and wasps start over every year.

Below is some helpful information regarding several species of insects:

Africanized Honey Bee (Apis mellifera scutellata):

The Africanized bee and the European honey bee are in the same species. European honey bees are the most popular species of honey bee and are found everywhere in the U.S. The Africanized bee, which came from southern Africa via Brazil, is used to a longer season of heat, then the European honey bees. There is little reason not to believe that these Africanized bees will continue their journey north into many regions of the U.S. This has an impact on society, because Africanized bees store less honey than European honey bees. This is because they are used to shorter or nonexistent winters. Africanized bees tend to collectively swarm intruders and swarm more often than their European counterparts. This of course is not good news for unsuspecting passer bys. Africanized bees will colonize in hollow trees, voids in walls, or any number of protected areas, whether created by nature or by mankind. This type of aggressive behavior creates problems for pest control professionals.

Carpenter Bees (Anthophoridae):

Carpenter bees are not considered to be social insects and have a relatively short lifespan of about one year. There are several types of Carpenter bees. The most common Carpenter bee resides in the Midwest and Eastern parts of the U.S. The Western Carpenter bee resides primarily out West. Both look similar in size and color to the common female Bumble bee, with a yellow and black thorax and black shiny abdomen. Carpenter bees appear to be more vicious than they really are. The male Carpenter bee protects the nest, and will aggressively fly toward any perceived threat. Male carpenter bees can be very aggressive, but are actually harmless since they don't actually have stingers. The female carpenter bees do have stingers, but are usually less aggressive. Carpenter bees can do some real damage to wood around the home, decks and related wooded structures. Carpenter bees like to nest in the (cedar, redwood, cypress, or pine) siding on homes. Other common areas are the eaves, window trim, facia boards, and unpainted decks. They generally make a hole about the size of a small finger. They borrow in about 1/2 inch and then turn 90 degrees for about 2 to 3 inches. This is where they will lay their eggs, which become the next generation of carpenter bees. New female Carpenter bees may reuse old nests year after year. Spraying wasp and hornet spray may not be enough to kill the nest. Dusting will leave a chemical residue in and around the entrance tunnel. They will track the residual chemical into the chambers as they travel in and out. This is what will eventually kill the them.Carpenter bees usually emerge from their nests around April or May. If left unchecked, the damage can be considerable as new holes are made with each breeding season. Carpenter bees prefer wood, which is bare or untreated. After the Carpenter bees have been removed, it is best if the holes are plugged using caulk or wood filler. Using the Gotcha Sprayer Pro and our Powder Duster is one of the best and most economical ways of dealing with carpenter bee problems.

Cicada Killer Wasps:

Cicada killers look like large yellow jackets, but they are actually related to the Mud dauber. Cicada killers can sting, but are usually less aggressive the yellow jackets, wasps, and hornets. Cicada killers usually make their nests in softer soil. You can generally see where the female Cicada killers are flying in and out of the nest opening. Using an extension pole with theGotcha Sprayer Proand our Powder Dusteryou can apply dust into the opening of the nest entrance from a distance. The dust will eventually be tracked into the nest and kill the inhabitants.

Honey Bees (Apis Mellifera):

The Honey bee is social insect that has the ability to communicate with other Honey bees, such information as, sources of pollen and where they may be located. Honey bees make combs that look like a series of wax cells. These wax cells are where Honey bees raise their young and store honey. Once the summer food supplies diminish, the bees will live on the honey for the winter. When a Honey bee colony has outgrown its existing space, they may look for a new location, such as, an old hollow tee or sometimes areas where people live. Older homes with voids in the walls or attic spaces can be an inviting space for bees. During this transitional period Honey bees have a tendency to swarm, until they can find a new location and start building again. Some colonies can have over 55,000 bees. If a Honey bee colony decides to build its next home inside the walls of a house, it can be quite a problem. The Honey bees could chew through the dry wall and end up in the house. The honey in the wax cells, larva carcasses, and dead bees can attract wasps, beetles, and moths. I order to fix the problem, the bee colony killed and removed. If the honey combs are left in the walls, they could melt over time and create additional problems, such as staining, mold, and attracting moths. The honey itself will attract other wasps and bees. The dead bees will attract carpet beetles. Killing the bees can be done similar to wasps and hornets using sprays or foams. In order for the comb to be removed, the wall will need to be cut away and replaced. This should only be done once the colony is dead and the nest can be removed. The access location should be sealed by replacing the wood or caulking the hole closed. This will prevent future colonies from building in the same location. Honey bee colonies have a definitive structure. The Queen is the largest of the bees and is responsible for the growth of the hive. Worker bees are actually undeveloped females, are the smallest bees. They are responsible for feeding the queen and the larvae. They also collect pollen, make the honey and build the wax combs. The male bees are referred to as Drone bees. Their task is to mate with the queen. The male bees do not have stingers. Like yellow jackets, wasps and hornets, worker honey bees do have the ability to sting, but only one time. Each has a stinger, which is actually a hollow shaft with barbs on the outside. The barbs on the honey bee stinger are much larger than on the wasps stinger. Once the stinger is in the victim, poison from the poison sack flows down the hollow shaft and into the victim. Because of the smaller barbs, yellow jackets, wasps, and hornets have the ability to remove the stinger and fly away. The honey bee, however, has to actually rip the stinger and poison sack from its body in order to fly away. Honey bees usually will die a short time after inflicting a sting.

Mud Dauber Wasps:

Mud Dauber wasps do not live in social colonies. They form nests that look like long thin tubes out of clay or mud. These nests are where they lay eggs, which grow into larvae and eventually into more wasps. Mud daubers build their nests in protected areas, such as, house siding, window boxes, sheds, decks, and overhanging ceilings. Mud Daubers are thin and shiny, usually either black and brown, or they could have orange, yellow, and black markings. They usually feed on spiders. Mud daubers can be controlled relatively easy using the standard wasp and hornet spray. Using a Gotcha Sprayer or Gotcha Sprayer Pro adaptor and an extension pole, you can simply attach a can of wasp and hornet spray, extend the extension pole and spray the nest in short quick blasts. Do this around dusk and the mud daubers will never know what hit them. Using a scraper to remove the old nest, will help ensure that other queen mud daubers won’t move in. Using the Gotcha Sprayer in addition to the wasp and hornet spray will allow you to minimize the amount of chemical sprayed all over the house and yourself. You will be able to position the wasp and hornet spray directly in front of the nest without trapping yourself on a ladder. Some wasp and hornet sprays are petroleum based and can discolor siding, damage shingles, and kill surrounding foliage. Using wasp and hornet spray with the Gotcha Sprayer adapter and an extension pole allows you to minimize the mess and over-spray.

Paper Wasps (Polistes):

Paper wasps are fairly common in the Northeast. The paper wasp queen is responsible for reproducing and setting up the initial nest. The queen paper wasp will start building a nest by attaching a central strand to the sheltered structure. This strand is made from chewed wood or plant material and water which she builds using her mouthparts. Paper wasp nests resemble gray, paper honeycombs and are generally round in shape. The rest of the comb is build off of this central strand. Once the queen has built several cells, she will begin to lay eggs in the bottom of each cell. These eggs will develop into either male or female larvae. Once the larvae are old enough they will build tops on the cells to close off the top of the cell. There they will remain until they become pupae. The workers are responsible for expanding the nest and feeding the larvae. In spring and early summer paper wasps will feed the larvae with caterpillars, while the adults generally feed on nectar or fruit from apple or pear trees. The upside is that paper wasps act as a natural control agent for caterpillars. The downside is that paper wasps tend to build their nests in areas that are sheltered, usually under the eaves, around decks, play sets, Satellite dishes, and out buildings. Paper wasp queens are generally the same size as the female workers. As the colony grows, some of the new wasps are males and some are females. The male and female paper wasps will mate. The male paper wasps will die over the winter, while the female paper wasps will find shelter over the winter and start new colonies in the spring. Many times this shelter can be indoors and can create a problem for homeowners in the spring.

Paper wasps can be controlled relatively easy using the standard wasp and hornet spray. Using a Gotcha Sprayer or Gotcha Sprayer Pro adaptor and an extension pole, you can simply attach a can of wasp and hornet spray, extend the extension pole and spray the nest in short quick blasts. Do this around dusk and the paper wasps will never know what hit them. Using a scraper to remove the old nest, will help ensure that other queen paper wasps won’t move in. Using the Gotcha Sprayer in addition to the wasp and hornet spray will allow you to minimize the amount of chemical sprayed all over the house and yourself. You will be able to position the wasp and hornet spray directly in front of the nest without trapping yourself on a ladder. Some wasp and hornet sprays are petroleum based and can discolor siding, damage shingles, and kill surrounding foliage. Using wasp and hornet spray with the Gotcha Sprayer adapter and an extension pole allows you to minimize the mess and over-spray.

Yellow Jackets (Vespula):

There are over thirteen species of yellow jackets in the U.S. Yellow jackets cause the majority of the stings that people receive. This is because there are a high number of yellow jackets. They tend to nest around buildings and they are attracted to many sugar based foods that people eat, such as fruits, juices, soda, and candy. Yellow jackets can inflict multiple stings, and they will vigorously defend their nests. As with most yellow jackets, wasps, and hornet species, the colony is started by the queen. The yellow jacket queen lays the eggs that develop into female workers, males, and future queens. Some species build their nests in trees, shrubs, or even in underground burrows. Aerial yellow jackets, commonly referred to as bald faced hornets (Dolichovespula maculata), which aren’t actually hornets, have black and white markings on its thorax and abdomen. They build above ground nests that look like large, gray over-inflated footballs made out of wood fiber paper. The queen yellow jacket builds a small comb, similar to the paper wasp. As she starts to lay eggs, worker yellow jackets continue to build up cells and combs. As the nest grows several layers of combs are added. Each comb could have several hundred cells, and there could be many layers of combs each hanging one under the other. The yellow jackets, however, wrap the combs so they are completely enclosed in the gray wood fiber paper material. A large yellow jacket nest could support thousands of workers. They locate the nests in trees 10 to 15 feet high, shrubs, and under building overhangs. The bald faced hornet can be found everywhere in the U.S., except for the central and southern regions. They usually become active in the early spring and range into mid-summer. Bald faced hornets feed their larvae on flies and sometimes other species of yellow jackets. Bald faced hornets will aggressively defend their nests if they feel threatened. Their nests are difficult to find while the leaves are still on the trees.

Another type of yellow jacket, with yellow and black markings, builds it’s nest similar to bald faced hornets i.e. small series of combs made up of cells surrounded by gray wood fiber paper, however, these nests are located in the ground. Some yellow jackets can build their nests in wall voids, dead hollow trees, and attics.

In nature, these yellow jackets, wasps and hornets serve a beneficial purpose of controlling pest insects such as flies and caterpillars. It is when they build in backyards, park, golf courses, and picnic areas that they become a problem. When natural food sources become scarce, garbage cans and dumpsters become a popular place for workers to find sources of food, such as, soda cans, and candy wrappers etc. With larger colonies having thousands of workers, mixing with children and people with allergies can become a real problem.

Common yellow jackets are found around the north, and northeastern parts of the U.S., as well as, in Canada. They can be found in higher elevations and have a tendency to build nests in evergreens. The eastern yellow jackets are found throughout the Midwest, as far south as Texas and as far North as the Dakotas. They are not as large as most yellow jackets, but do have very large colonies consisting upwards of 4,000 workers. Their nests are generally a darker tan color, instead of the typical gray coloring. The German yellow jacket builds its nest in the ground in Europe, however in the U.S., many of their nests have been discovered in structures such as wall voids and attics. They are found in the northeastern parts of the U.S.

Yellow Jacket, Wasp and Hornet Control:

Nests or nest entrances can be found by observing where the workers are flying to and from. Above ground nests will either be exposed combs made up of many cells that look like gray paper. Some nests may look like over-inflated gray paper footballs. Underground nests will have an entrance hole surrounded by a small wall of fine dirt.  

As with any yellow jacket, wasp, or hornet, the safest thing to do is to call a professional. If you are inclined to kill the wasps by yourself, the only way to keep your distance is by using the Gotcha Sprayer adaptor, wasp and hornet spray, and a long extension pole. We have extension poles available from 8ft to 18ft long. When combined with the 10ft to 15ft effective reach of the wasp and hornet spray, you can spray from approximately 33ft away. When using the Gotcha Sprayer Pro adaptor, you can both spray wasp and hornet spray, and can use our powder duster to kill underground nests as well.  

Using the Gotcha Sprayer Pro and our Powder Duster can even make dusting the garden for slugs and beetles an easy job.  The Gotcha Sprayer Pro can be angled so you don't have to bend or stoop down to apply the dust.  

The combination of the Gotcha Sprayer Pro and our Powder Duster let's you apply the dust close to the vegetation, reducing waste and drift.