Will This New Zealand Wasp Hack Work in New York?

A video featuring a new "hack" to quickly and easily get rid of wasps has been making its rounds on the internet. While the video was taken roughly 10,000 miles away from New York State, this might be the perfect time to see if it works here, too.

Wasps are never much fun, and while there are plenty of docile species that would never dream of hurting a human, there are of course other species that can be aggressive in certain situations. In fact, this month is the worst time for one wasp in particular.

Increased Wasp Activity in the Hudson Valley

Experts have recently warned residents in the northeast of the possible increase of interactions with aggressive yellow jackets. Thanks to dwindling resources and the approaching cold weather, these insects can be meaner than usual when defending their nest or seeking a new place to live.

New Wasp Removal "Hack" Involves Gasoline

While the warning was mainly centered on yellow jackets that nest in the ground, the recent wasp removal hack has to do with nests in public areas, like under the eaves of houses. The "simple" technique requires only a bucket and some gasoline.

The video shows someone covering a nest with a bucket full of gasoline, and they surmise that the wasps, stuck in a closed environment with toxic fumes, quickly suffocate and die. But is this really the way to deal with wasp removal?

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Though there is no official endorsement of the "gasoline in a bucket" technique, the method doesn't seem too dissimilar from using wasp spray or other poisons. In fact, as long as there are no "stray" wasps nearby, this method might even look tidier. The safest bet, however, is to call professionals.