Dust Treatments
A fine insecticidal dust injected deep into wall voids, attics, and structural cracks where liquid sprays cannot reach — and where the pests actually live.
Exactly How It Works
A dust treatment uses a finely ground insecticide injected into the hidden spaces pests call home — wall voids, behind outlets, under insulation, in attic gaps, and inside structural cracks. Dust goes where liquid cannot: it floats into crevices, coats the surfaces pests walk on, and stays active for months in dry, undisturbed voids.
Pests pick up the dust as they travel through the void. Because dust is not a quick contact kill, insects carry it deeper into the nest on their bodies, spreading it to other colony members. That is why a small amount of dust in the right void can collapse a whole wasp or ant colony that a spray would never reach.
Dust is the right tool whenever the pest is hidden inside a structure — a wasp nest in a wall, carpenter ants in a void, or bed bugs deep in a crack. A liquid spray hits the surface and stops; dust travels inward and keeps working.
Step-by-Step
- 01
Locate the hidden harborage — buzzing in a wall, frass near a void, activity behind outlets or under insulation.
- 02
Inject a light, even dust layer using precision equipment — too much dust and pests avoid it; a fine film is what works.
- 03
Dust travels where pests travel, coating the void surfaces and spreading on the insects' bodies back to the nest.
- 04
Let the dust work for weeks in the dry void — it stays active far longer than a liquid spray would in the same spot.
- 05
Pair with exclusion so the void is physically sealed after the colony is cleared, preventing re-entry.
Products & Materials
Insecticidal dust
A fine powder (e.g., deltamethrin or a desiccant dust) injected into voids; coats insects and lasts months when dry.
Precision duster
Equipment that puffs a light, even film of dust deep into a void — the key to reaching where pests hide.
Desiccant dusts
Sometimes a non-toxic desiccant is used in sensitive areas; it abrades the insect's protective coating so it dries out.
Wasps and yellowjackets nesting in walls, carpenter ants in voids, bed bugs in cracks, spiders in attics, and overwintering bugs in wall voids.
Whenever a nest or harborage is hidden inside a wall, attic, or structural void — anywhere a liquid spray cannot reach. The go-to for "buzzing in the wall" and indoor wasp nests.
Before, During & After
We locate the void — listening for buzzing, tracing frass or activity, and checking outlets and gaps. We may remove a switch plate or drill a small access hole if needed.
Dust is puffed into the void — quick and low-odor. You may see a small amount of dust at the access point. For wasps in a wall, activity usually stops within hours as the colony collapses.
The dust keeps working in the void for months. We seal the access and recommend exclusion so the void cannot be reoccupied. For wasps, do not plug the outside entry immediately — let the dust work first.
Dust is applied inside voids, away from living surfaces. We use the least amount that is effective, avoid air handling spaces, and advise on any re-entry time. Desiccant dusts are a low-toxicity option in sensitive areas.
Dust Treatments — FAQ
Very likely. Yellowjackets and wasps often build nests inside wall voids. Dust is the right tool — a liquid spray on the outside will not reach them, and plugging the hole can drive them indoors. We treat the void and let the colony collapse first.
Explore the Service
Want this for your home? See our Wasp Nest Removal service page for what is included and how to schedule.
Wasp Nest RemovalGet a Free
Quote Today
Contact Info
"We take pests personally. When you call Mid State, you're getting direct service from someone who takes pride in protecting your home and business."