Silver Bullet Pest ControlA gray paper ball the size of a football in the maple by the driveway, yellow jackets streaming out of a gap in the siding, or wasps building under the deck railing? Silver Bullet Pest Control removes wasp, hornet and yellow jacket nests around West Orange homes and businesses — safely, and without you getting stung.
4.9 stars on Google • NJ License 90568B • 15+ years • Same-day visits often available • Hablamos español
Not sure what's buzzing? Text a photo of the nest (from a safe distance) to 973-510-2585.
Silver Bullet Pest Control removes wasp, hornet and yellow jacket nests in West Orange, NJ, with same-day visits often available when a nest is near a door, a play area or someone who is allergic. A licensed technician identifies the insect, treats the nest — including nests hidden in walls or the ground — and removes it when it can be reached. NJ License 90568B, 4.9 stars on Google, free quotes. Call or text 973-510-2585.
The insect and where it nests decide how the nest is handled. These are the three we remove most around West Orange:
Despite the name, these are a type of yellow jacket, and they defend their nest hard. A nest in a tree over the driveway or by the back door is worth handling before someone bumps it with a ladder or hedge trimmer.
Yellow jackets build in the ground and inside walls, so you often see only the entrance. They are the ones that sting when a lawn mower passes over the nest, and late in summer they crowd around food and trash outdoors.
Paper wasps are less aggressive than yellow jackets, but their nests sit right where people reach — the underside of a railing, a mailbox, the back of a shutter. Stings usually happen when someone grabs the spot without looking.
Some nests can wait a day or two. Others shouldn't:
| Situation | How urgent | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Someone in the home is allergic to stings | Call now | A single sting can be a medical emergency. Keep them away from the area |
| Hornet or yellow jacket nest by a door, walkway or play set | Same day if possible | People pass it constantly; one bump can set off the whole nest |
| Yellow jackets inside a wall, or chewing through a ceiling | Same day if possible | They can break through into the living space |
| Ground nest in the lawn | Before you mow | Mower vibration sets them off; mark the spot and keep people away |
| Small paper wasp nest out of reach | Within a few days | Lower risk, but it grows through the summer |
| Old gray nest in late fall, no activity | Not urgent | Most of these nests are empty by then and aren't reused |
If someone has been stung many times or shows signs of an allergic reaction — swelling of the face or throat, trouble breathing — call 911 first. Then call us about the nest. For other urgent pest problems, see emergency pest control.
West Orange climbs the slopes of the Watchung ridges, and a lot of homes back up to woods — South Mountain Reservation, Eagle Rock Reservation and the wooded lots in between. That's good habitat for stinging insects:
We also handle nests at businesses, schools and multi-family buildings, where a nest near an entrance affects a lot of people. More on commercial pest control.
| Time of year | What's happening | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Spring | Queens that survived the winter start small new nests | Small nests are the easiest to deal with — watch eaves and railings |
| Early summer | Workers hatch and nests grow quickly | Nests by doors and decks start to cause trouble |
| Late summer | Nests reach full size; yellow jackets get more aggressive around food | Peak season for stings and calls |
| Fall | Colonies decline as the weather cools; new queens look for winter shelter | Big nests become visible as leaves fall; most die off after hard frosts |
| Winter | Old nests sit empty | An empty nest isn't reused, but it can be cleared away |
A nest you first notice in August has usually been growing since spring. Spotting them early in the season saves a lot of trouble.
We confirm whether it's hornets, yellow jackets, paper wasps or bees, and find every nest on the property — there is often more than one.
The technician wears protective gear and treats the nest directly, including hidden nests in walls and the ground, by treating through the entrance the insects use.
Exposed nests in shrubs, eaves and railings are taken down once treated. Nests inside walls are treated where they are.
We tell you how long returning insects may be seen near the spot and which gaps to seal once the nest is dead.
Quotes are free. Call or text 973-510-2585 with a photo and where the nest is.
Sealing a yellow jacket entrance in a wall can make them chew inward and come out inside the house.
Hitting a hornet nest with a pole or hose can release the whole colony at once — often while you're on a ladder.
Pouring or lighting fuel on a nest is dangerous and a common cause of burns and house fires.
Mowers and hedge trimmers set off ground and shrub nests. Mark the spot and keep kids and pets away.
If you already sprayed it and it's still active, tell us what you used when you call.
Not every buzzing nest is wasps. Honey bees are fuzzy, golden-brown and calmer, and they sometimes move into a hollow tree or the wall of a house. In spring you may see a swarm — a big cluster of bees hanging on a branch — that is resting while it looks for a new home. Bumble bees are large, round and fuzzy, and often nest in the ground or under a deck or shed.
Honey bees are important pollinators, so we don't treat them like a wasp nest — we work with a local beekeeper to relocate them. If you think you have bees, text us a photo and we'll tell you what it is.
Carpenter bees — the ones that bore round holes in fascia and deck rails — are another story. Ask us about them when you call.
For year-round protection against stinging insects and other pests, ask about our home pest control. Recurring service comes with a 100% satisfaction guarantee.
Send a photo of the nest if you can do it safely, and tell us where it is and whether anyone in the house is allergic.
🔒 Your info stays private · Hablamos español.
Often, yes. Same-day visits are often available, especially when a nest is by a door, a play area or someone who is allergic.
A bald-faced hornet nest is a closed gray paper ball, usually in a tree or under an eave. A paper wasp nest is an open, umbrella-shaped comb where you can see the cells.
Don't seal the hole — they can chew inward into the house. Keep people away from the entrance and call to have the nest treated.
Small, exposed paper wasp nests are sometimes handled by homeowners, but hornet and yellow jacket nests can send out hundreds of defenders. Hidden nests in walls or the ground should be treated by a professional.
No. Wasps and hornets don't reuse old nests, though new queens may build nearby next year if the spot is sheltered.
Workers that were out foraging return to the nest for a short time afterward. Activity should drop off quickly; call us if it doesn't.
Honey bees are handled differently from wasps — we work with a local beekeeper to relocate them. Text us a photo and we'll tell you what it is.
Nests start in spring, grow through summer and are biggest in late summer. Activity drops after hard frosts in fall.
Yes. We treat nests at entrances, playgrounds, dumpsters and rooflines for businesses and buildings.
Yes. Silver Bullet Pest Control holds NJ License 90568B, has over 15 years of experience and serves West Orange and the rest of Essex County.
Sí. Hablamos español. Mande una foto del nido por texto al 973-510-2585.
Updated November 2026 by the Silver Bullet Pest Control team, Garfield, NJ • NJ License 90568B
