The short version
Around Aurora, queens start nests in May, and colonies peak in late summer. Small, low paper wasp nests can be handled at dusk. Leave wall, ground and high nests to a pro.
- Treat nests at dusk, when wasps are home.
- Never seal a hole wasps are using.
- Ground and wall nests are best left to a pro.
- Knock down small nests early in spring.
- Call 911 for breathing trouble after a sting.
Homeowners and renters in Aurora with a nest near a door, deck or play area.
What to look for
Late-summer colonies are big and quick to sting. Wasps defend the area around their nest. Near a door or deck, stings will happen.
- 1Steady wasp traffic in and out of one soffit gap.
- 2Small golf-ball-sized paper nests under eaves in spring.
- 3Wasps hovering at a mulch bed or retaining wall gap.
- 4Multiple stings on one person during a single outdoor task.
- 5Sudden wasp interest in overripe fruit under a tree.
- 6Chewed, scarred wood on fences, decks or cedar siding.
Why it’s worth acting soon
- Nests grow all summer.
- Ground nests get disturbed by mowing.
- Wall nests can chew through into rooms.
- Stings are dangerous for anyone allergic.
Treatment options and typical costs
Inspection and Nest Identification
$75–$200
Watching flight lines at midday usually reveals the entrance. Around Aurora, that step separates a quick aerial nest job from a wall-void problem that needs dust and a return visit.
- Time
- 45–75 minutes
- Best for
- Every job; species and nest location decide the method
Aerial Nest Treatment and Removal
$100–$400
Bald-faced hornet nests, the grey football-shaped ones, defend aggressively and are best left to an Aurora professional with a bee suit and a long-reach applicator. Small paper wasp combs are a simpler job.
- Time
- 30–90 minutes
- Best for
- Exposed paper wasp, hornet and bald-faced hornet nests
Ground and Wall-Void Nest Treatment
$150–$500
Foam and sprays rarely reach the back of a deep void. Pros use dust for hidden nests and sprays for open combs.
- Time
- 30–60 minutes plus a return visit
- Best for
- Yellowjackets in lawns, retaining walls, soffits and wall voids
Sealing Up After the Nest Is Dead
$150–$450
Once the nest is dead, the gap gets sealed. Caulk, copper mesh or a soffit patch works. Old nests are not reused, but the gap invites new queens.
- Time
- 1–2 hours
- Best for
- Sealing the gap once the nest is dead
Prices are typical published ranges. Ask what’s included before you compare quotes.
In cold-winter areas, old nests are empty by now. It's a good time to fix vent covers and siding gaps before queens go looking in spring.Which wasps live around Aurora.
Bald-faced hornets build big gray nests in trees and eaves. They cause most stings. Western yellowjackets nest in the ground and in wall voids. They build open, umbrella-shaped combs under eaves and railings. Paper wasps are the most common around Aurora. They rarely sting. Mud daubers build tube-shaped mud nests.
Local wasps conditions in Aurora.
An inspection in Aurora usually starts outside and works inward, checking the foundation, gaps around doors and windows, and any moisture or clutter near the structure first. Around Aurora, the area is mostly urban, so wasps pressure can differ from one block to the next depending on how tight the entry points are and how much food, water, or shelter is close by. Aurora sits in a semi-arid climate, and that sets the pace for wasp activity here: mid-summer through fall (July-October). A provider who works Aurora and Colorado every day can point out the specific conditions that matter most here, and getting the scope, price, and follow-up terms in writing makes it easier to compare options. Knowing Aurora's seasonal timing lets you schedule treatment before the busy stretch rather than after it, which usually means faster service and a more accurate quote.
Yellowjackets sometimes nest in attics and wall voids, getting in through a torn vent screen or a gap in the soffit. Buzzing in a ceiling is worth a look.When they’re most active.
Nests die back after the first hard freeze in fall. Early spring is the easiest time to remove small starts.
Where they nest around houses here.
Watch for traffic in and out of gaps. Check eaves, attic vents and window frames. Plenty of homes in Aurora have basements, but most nests are higher up. Homes from Aurora out to Commerce City and Centennial share the same favorite nest spots. A ground nest looks like wasps streaming from one hole.
A year of wasps in Aurora.
- Spring: queens start new nests around May. Knock down small starts. - Winter: lows near 18°F in Aurora. Nests die; only queens survive. - Late summer: peak season. Workers hunt sweets near people. - Summer: highs near 89°F in Aurora help colonies grow fast.
Wasp, hornet or bee?
- Paper wasp: slim, long legs, open comb. - Honey bee: fuzzy and golden. about relocation. - Mud dauber: thin waist, mud tube nests. Rarely stings. - Hornet: larger, with a big closed paper nest. - Yellowjacket: bright yellow and black, nests in the ground.
If you get stung.
If someone carries an epinephrine pen, use it. 911 for trouble breathing or a swollen face or throat. An antihistamine can ease itching and swelling. Wash the sting and use a cold pack. Move away from the nest first.
Keeping wasps away from the patio.
- Food: cover plates and drinks outdoors. - Gaps: seal gaps after a nest is gone. - Spring checks: knock down small nests early. - Fruit: pick up fallen fruit. - Trash: keep lids tight and bins away from doors.
Ground nests: what to do.
Pros treat ground nests at night, when the colony is home. Don't pour gasoline or water in. Don't mow over it. Keep kids and pets away. Mark the hole with a flag.
A nest, or just visitors?
A nest shows steady traffic to one spot. Wasps on flowers or trash cans may come from far away. Follow the line back to an eave, vent, shrub or hole. Watch at dusk, when they fly home.
Treating a small nest yourself, safely.
- Only if it’s small, low and out in the open. - Leave it overnight, then bag the nest. - Never spray from a ladder. - Use a jet wasp spray from several feet away. - Wear long sleeves, pants and gloves. - Wait until dusk, when wasps are home and slow. - Never if anyone in the house is allergic.
Wasps and pets.
Most stings just swell a little. Dogs often snap at wasps and get stung on the face. Keep pet food and water bowls indoors in late summer. your vet if the throat swells or breathing changes.
Kids and wasps.
Swatting makes a sting more likely. Teach kids to walk away calmly. Use cups with lids for sweet drinks outside. Check play sets, slides and playhouses for nests each spring.
After the nest is gone.
Seal the gap a wall nest used once it's quiet. Wasps don't reuse old nests. Knock down small new nests early next spring. Check nearby eaves for new starts.
Wasps at picnics and barbecues.
- Drinks: use cups with lids or straws. - Kids: teach them to walk away calmly. - Calm: don’t swat; slowly move away. - Trash: bag scraps and close the bin. - Food: keep it covered until you eat.
Ground nests in the lawn.
Watch for wasps flying in and out of the grass. Yellowjackets often nest in old rodent holes. Mark it, and keep mowers and kids away until it's treated.
Questions to ask before you sign.
- What kind of wasp is it? - Is a return visit included? - Is removal of the dead nest included? - How will you treat a nest inside the wall?
What affects the price
- Sting allergy in the home requiring extra precautions.
- Return visit to confirm a void nest is dead.
- Sealing gaps after the nest is dead.
- Open comb, or hidden in a wall.
- Colony size, which climbs sharply from June to September.
- Local labor rates and seasonal demand.
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What's your biggest concern about wasps?
When to call for help
Call for nests in walls, attics, the ground, or anywhere high. right away if anyone in the house is allergic. Don't seal a hole wasps are using. They'll find another way in.
What you can do yourself
Knock it down the next day. Big, high or hidden nests are a job for a pro. A small, reachable paper wasp nest is a fair DIY job. Spray it at dusk with a wasp aerosol.
Wasps in Aurora
Winter lows near 18°F in Aurora end the season; only new queens survive, tucked into sheltered spots. In denser parts of Aurora, nests turn up in eaves, balconies, signs and wall gaps. Aurora only gets about 15 inches of rain a year, so local wasps often gather at pools, fountains and dripping taps.
Local research
Wasps in Aurora, CO: what the public record shows
Before you compare quotes, it helps to know which wasps actually live in Colorado, when they are busiest around Aurora, and what the state figures look like. Everything below links to the agency or university page it came from.
Wasp species recorded in Colorado
- Western yellowjacket (Vespula pensylvanica) — UC IPM: 'the most commonly encountered species and is sometimes called the "meat bee"' in California and the Western states; ground and wall-void nester and aggressive scavenger…
- Bald-faced hornet (Dolichovespula maculata) — Penn State: 'found in most of the 48 contiguous states and D.C., throughout Canada and in Alaska'; actually an aerial yellowjacket that builds the football-shaped gray paper nes…
- European paper wasp (Polistes dominula) — Penn State: 'first reported in 1978 around Boston', now 'coast to coast ... although they are apparently less common in the Southeast and Great Plains'; nests in 'eaves of struc…
- Native paper wasps (Polistes spp. (e.g., P. fuscatus, P. apachus, P. exclamans)) — Open umbrella-shaped nests under eaves, porch ceilings and railings. UC IPM: paper wasp colonies 'vary between 15 to 200 individuals'; Penn State: queens 'establish nests in May…
When wasps are busiest around Aurora
CSU: European paper wasp 'earliest activity is sometimes seen in the first half of March'; 'Individual colonies are established anew each spring' and 'may contain several dozen individuals by the end of summer'. Western yellowjacket colonies die each fall (USU).
CSU: European paper wasp is 'very abundant in every urbanized county in eastern Colorado and the three western Colorado counties of Mesa, Montrose, and Delta'; nests in 'outdoor grills, large bells, pipes, rock cavities, and hollow spaces behind walls'.
Rules that apply in Colorado
For context, nationally
- 788 — Deaths from hornet, wasp, and bee stings, 2011–2021 (US). CDC MMWR
- 72 deaths per year — Average annual sting deaths, 2011–2021 (US). CDC MMWR
Sources: Colorado State University Extension; CDC MMWR; Yellowjackets and Other Social Wasps (Pest Notes); Baldfaced Hornet; European Paper Wasp. Figures are quoted as the source prints them. How we check our sources
Simple ways to keep wasps away
- Walk the eaves, rails, and fence tops in March, when Colorado State University notes European paper wasp activity can start, and knock down the first few cells.
- Cap hollow fence posts, pipe ends, and patio furniture tubing, all of which this species uses as nest cavities.
- Open the grill and check under the lid before the first cookout of the season rather than after lighting it.
- Fit tight screens on gable and attic vents, and check that soffit returns have not opened up over the winter.
- Fill old rodent burrows along the foundation in early spring, before a queen adopts one.
- Keep trash and recycling lids latched from August through October, when foragers switch to sugar and protein scraps.
- Fix leaking hose bibs and drip lines, since standing water is scarce enough at 15 inches of rain a year to concentrate wasps.
In apartment buildings, one nest in a shared wall or balcony can affect several units. Let the building manager know so it gets treated once, properly.Did you know?
Only newly mated queens survive the winter
Mud daubers stock their nests with paralyzed spiders
Questions people ask
Are wasps good for anything?
They eat caterpillars and other pests. Leave nests that are well away from people. Yes.
Will wasps come back to the same nest next year?
They don't reuse old nests. New queens often pick the same sheltered spots, though.
How do I find a good wasp control company?
Check that they're licensed in Colorado. Ask how they treat hidden nests and whether removal is included.
What should I do if I get stung?
An antihistamine helps with itching. 911 for trouble breathing or a swelling throat.
Are wasps dangerous to my pets?
Dogs often get stung on the face. your vet if swelling spreads or breathing changes. They can be.
How common are wasp sightings?
Around Aurora, very common in late summer, when colonies peak and wasps go looking for sweet food.
Do wasp traps actually work?
They catch some foragers but rarely solve a nest problem. Find and treat the nest itself.
Are hornets common in Aurora?
Bald-faced hornets are, in trees and on eaves. Most stings come from yellowjackets, though.
Nearby cities
Related guides
Sources (15)
The facts in this article come from the public sources listed above. Every home is different, so ask the company you talk to about pricing and what’s included. Published by Wasp Exterminator · Updated September 11, 2026 · How we write these guides