Homeowner hears 'electric clicking' in bathroom wall, and a crack in the siding explains why

A strange noise inside a bathroom wall sent one homeowner to Reddit — and a small crack in the siding quickly became the most important clue.

For anyone living in an older house, it is the kind of post that can make your stomach drop.

What happened?

In a post on the r/pestcontrol subreddit, a homeowner described hearing something inside the wall.

"I've heard them off and on in the bathroom wall for about 5 days," the homeowner said, along with a photo of a dead wasp on the end of a cotton swab. "There is a crack in the siding they're going in and out of."

They described the noise as an "electric clicking sound every once in a while" and not like "a buzz or hum."

In a follow-up, the homeowner wrote, "I live in a 1800s stone and plaster house built into the hillside, they're in the masonry and chewing into a wood windowsill I think, wish it was [as] easy as removing drywall."

Why does it matter?

A crack in siding may seem minor, but for insects and other animals, it can act like an open door — especially in older houses, where age, weathering, and past repairs may leave hidden access points.

Homes built into hillsides, expanding development, and aging construction materials can create more overlap between people and wildlife.

When animals lose habitat or find easy shelter in human-made structures, they often choose walls, eaves, and crawl spaces because those spaces are dry, protected, and warm.

Repair costs, damaged wood, and the stress of figuring out whether a strange sound in the wall is harmless or the start of a larger infestation can follow.

What are people saying?

The top comment on the post confirmed that the homeowner was dealing with yellow jackets and advised them to call a professional due to their aggressive and defensive nature.

After the confirmation, the original poster wrote, "We are getting our house painted … They prepped and scraped a bunch of the old paint and caulking and rotted wood, and then it rained for like a week. In that week these guys moved in."

Another user replied, "Yes they love damp wood. You commonly see them in old firewood piles," and added, "Do not play around with wasps … they are extremely deadly bugs."

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