This is the question that keeps me up at night.

We are hosting a very active wasp nest right outside our living room window. For the last month, I've been trying hard to see the buzzing neighbours as helpful garden predators. But I'll admit the temptation to remove the nest (and all its inhabitants) is very real, and I've looked into a few options. It seems like the most common approach is a heavy dose of pesticide, which can't be good for the air quality of our home. I've also talked to some people who say that once a nest is destroyed, the rotting smell can attract other pests. Not ideal. I then came across this website in my search: http://www.eartheasy.com/live_natwasp_control.htm, which is great for prevention but doesn't exactly solve our current problem. Luckily, no one has been stung...yet. So the wasps and I seem to have an understanding. The question is: can it stand the test of time?

Randi Kruse is the David Suzuki Foundation's Nature Challenge guru.