Killing wasps with gasoline: Bug expert discourages ‘dangerous’ TikTok trend, 'would not recommend’

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One of the most recent viral trends to hit TikTok is a new insect extermination hack.

Users have been attempting the "gas in a glass" method of getting rid of wasps that may be terrorizing their homes.

Those who have tried the hack filled a glass, jar or bucket about a third of the way with gasoline. 

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Then they took their container of choice filled with gasoline and put it up against the nest, sealing it.  

The wasps, due to the toxicity of the gasoline, were instantly knocked out — and fell down into the liquid. 

A TikTok video has nearly two million views. An entomologist, however, warned people against taking this action for a number of reasons.  (Vanessa Hernandez)

In some videos, the remainder of the wasp nest is shown scraped off and submerged in the gasoline, along with the bees.

While the results have been effective for some people, one expert — Orkin's technical services manager and entomologist Ben Hottel — warned others against taking this action for a number of reasons. 

In an interview with Fox News Digital, Atlanta, Georgia-based Hottel said the method is not only dangerous but also potentially illegal for exterminators, per Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guidelines.

A TikTok user is shown attempting the wasp-killing trend with gasoline inside a large soda cup. (Vanessa Hernandez)

Pest control professionals are expected to use products that are registered with the EPA, Hottel said.

"So using gasoline, which would not be registered to kill insects with, would actually be illegal," he explained.

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"A pest control company couldn’t just use gasoline like that — we would get in trouble."

Also, from a safety perspective, Hottel pointed out the dangers of handling gasoline this way, especially amid the Fourth of July and summer season, when fireworks can start a fire very easily.

Orkin entomologist Ben Hottel does not recommend using gasoline to kill wasps due to a range of safety concerns. (iStock/Vanessa Hernandez)

Gasoline is also considered a hazardous household waste, according to Hottel — which sparks environmental concerns once the wasp-filled gasoline remnants are ready to be discarded.

"Obviously, you wouldn't want to just dump it onto your lawn or down the drain," he said. 

So "what are you going to do with this hazardous waste that you've just created?" he also said. 

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The EPA’s purpose is to ensure that extermination products are safe for humans and the environment, Hottel added — so the "gas in a glass" method is "sidestepping that."

"So I would not recommend it," he said.

Using gasoline to kill insects would be illegal, said Orkin's Hottel. (iStock)

Also, Hottel encouraged the public to be "very hesitant" about handling wasp nests themselves to avoid potentially dangerous stings.

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While there are registered products on the market designed to eradicate wasp nests safely and "from a distance," Hottel said it is best to hire a licensed exterminator to take care of the issue.