Yellow Jacket Removal Services: Fast, Safe Protection from Stings
Yellow jackets are one of spring and summer’s most worrisome pests. As a social wasp, yellowjackets live in seasonal colonies that are active in spring and summer. The colony dies off as the weather turns cold. Only the queen hibernates in winter, living to start a new colony the following spring. How to get rid of yellow jackets around homes is something every homeowner should learn.
Pest Control of Yellow Jackets
Yellow jackets are dangerous and control should be left to the professionals. At Critter Control, we will keep you and your family safe from yellow jacket stings by removing the problem.
Yellow Jacket Control Process:
- Get an Inspection and Quote on Yellow Jacket Extermination.
- Remove the yellow jacket colony and the yellow jacket nest. Removing the nest helps prevent future pest problems.
- After yellow jacket nest removal, we install long-term pest control. Seal cracks and gaps in walls, eaves, and vents to prevent hornets from being able to enter your home.
Are Yellow Jackets Dangerous?
Yellow jackets are considered the most dangerous stinging insect. Territorial and aggressive with the ability to sting multiple times, they are especially dangerous to those who are allergic. Yellow jackets also give off pheromones, which call in other yellow jackets to help with their attack.
What Are the Signs of a Yellow Jacket Infestation?
Spring and summer are perfect for spending more time outside in the yard. It’s natural to see flying pests from time to time, especially if you enjoy eating outside. Yellow jackets love to join BBQs and other outdoor gatherings. However, signs that you have a yellow jacket nest nearby—and not just a few stopping by for a sip of cola— include stings, nest sightings, and swarming.
Stings
Since they are territorial and sting when they feel their nest is threatened, if you experience multiple yellow jacket stings (or close calls), it means a nest is nearby. This is something that cannot be ignored as yellow jacket stings not only hurt, but they can also be life-threatening if you or a guest are allergic.
You need a professional to ensure complete yellow jacket removal. Their nests are often in hard-to-reach locations, including within walls or underground, and the risk of multiple stings by what could be hundreds of yellow jackets is not worth the risk.
Nests
It’s easy to spot a yellow jacket nest out in the open. They are brownish-gray and look like paper. Sometimes, they are large volleyball-sized shapes hanging from a tree branch, or they can be small honeycomb-shaped objects hanging from the ceiling of a porch. However, when you have an underground yellow jacket nest or one between a wall void, you need to be observant to see from where these pests are flying in and out. Underground yellow jacket nests are too easy to step on, setting these angry pests off.
Swarming
Yellow jackets will swarm for several reasons:
- When their nest has reached peak size in late summer
- When food is scarce
- When they feel they must defend the nest
Yellow jacket stings hurt more than many other insects that sting. If you see a swarm of yellow jackets, leave the area slowly and call Critter Control.
Buzzing
Yellow jacket nests can grow to contain hundreds to thousands of these nasty pests. If you hear buzzing or humming coming from an area of your yard or inside your walls, you could have a yellow jacket infestation.
Call Critter Control for Yellow Jacket Control and Nest Removal
Due to the health and safety risks involved, homeowners inexperienced with removing nests should not attempt to handle them alone. While effective pesticides are available, using them incorrectly on hives will only provoke the yellow jacket colony inside.
Critter Control specializes in yellow jacket removal, yellow jacket control, and how to get rid of yellow jackets. Our pest control services removes the stinging insects from your property keeping you and your family safe. It doesn’t pay to set up yellow jacket traps on your own. Critter Control has the expertise, training, and tools to safely deal with these insects and repair any damage they may have inflicted on your home. There’s always a Critter Control office near you. Call 1-800-CRITTER today.
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Common stinging pests, yellow jackets are black with yellow markings and are sometimes mistaken for bees. Female yellow jackets are about half an inch long, though queens are slightly bigger. The workers grow between 3/8 and 5/8 of an inch long. Yellow jackets have long antennae and anchor- shaped markings on their abdomens.
Avoid wearing scented lotions, perfumes, and hair products when spending time outside because they attract yellow jackets. If picnicking, never leave sugary drinks unattended and bring lids for all food containers. Finally, seek medical aid if stung in the mouth or throat, stung more than ten times, or if allergic to yellow jackets.
Yellow jackets are considered the most dangerous stinging insect. Territorial and aggressive with the ability to sting multiple times, they are especially dangerous to those who are allergic. Yellow jackets also give off pheromones, which call in other yellow jackets to help with their attack.. Since their nests are often built into the ground, people tend to step on them by accident. Yellow jackets will then sting. Unlike bees, they are able to do so repeatedly.
Yellow jackets prefer enclosed, protected locations. They often choose underground locations in abandoned rodent burrows, tree stumps, wall voids, inside sheds, and even in attics. Often, the only way to identify a hole in the ground as a yellow jacket nest is to watch them flying in and out.
Yellow jackets are found throughout North America. They are ground-nesting insects, so they often live in rodent burrows. Parks, yards, wooded areas, and fields are some of their favorite habitats.
- Remove food sources by keeping pet food inside, harvesting overripe fruit and vegetables, securing garbage can lids, covering drinks (especially sugary or alcoholic ones), and cleaning up any outdoor eating area.
- Reduce water sources like leaky faucets and do not overwater the lawn.
- Maintain landscape by trimming bushes and hedges and mowing regularly.
Hornet control is essential if you have a nest on your property. Hornets are an aggressive type of wasp that delivers a painful sting when threatened. And, unlike bees, hornets can sting multiple times. They are related to yellow jackets and look similar with their yellow and black markings and typical constricted waist. Generally, hornets are larger with a decisively larger head.
Like all living creatures, hornets look for environments that provide shelter, food, and water. If you have a healthy insect population on your property and have trees, sheds, eaves, and an attic that could provide a sheltered and undisturbed spot for a nest, you might attract hornets. Since hornets are hostile, with sting reactions ranging from pain and swelling to difficulty breathing if one is allergic or stung many times, call Critter Control immediately for hornet nest removal services.
Professional Hornet Removal
Professionals will use various methods for hornet nest removal that depend upon the species of hornet, the size of the nest, its location, and the time of year. A Critter Control specialist will first inspect your home and property to assess the situation and then create a custom solution for their removal and provide you with an estimate. The estimate will also include repairs of any exterior or interior damage the hornets caused.
Removing a hornet’s nest on your own is ill-advised, as their stings are intense and could result in a serious medical reaction. In addition, the chemicals needed to eradicate hornets can be toxic.
Signs of a Hornet Infestation
The first signs of a hornet infestation are usually seeing hornets flying around your property or finding hornets in your home. If you’re seeing even a few hornets, it’s time to look for these other signs:
- A large egg-shaped nest that looks like it’s made of paper. You will usually find nests attached to a tree, bush, under eaves, in your attic, or even in a wall cavity.
- Lots of buzzing in a specific location of your yard can be a sign of a nest nearby. It is common to hear them before you find the nest.
- Damage to wood on your porch, deck, fencing, or house siding is a sign that hornets are chewing at the wood to make the pulp for their nest.
- Dark spots on or within your walls signal that hornets may be building a nest in a hollow wall space. European hornets especially prefer to build their nests in dark places like walls or attics.
Hornet Trapping
Hornet nest removal on your own is risky because of how aggressive they are and the potential serious side effects of their stings.
Hornet traps are available online and at retail stores and are effective at lowering their population but not eliminating it. Some homeowners make their own traps with a plastic soda bottle, sugar water, or dish soap. Both store-bought or homemade traps should be placed or hung in an area where hornet activity is high. The hornets are attracted by the sweet liquid and will enter the bottle but won’t be able to fly out again.
How to remove hornets on your own should include a great deal of precaution as you’ll want to put your traps away from family traffic to avoid stings. Also of note is that the sugary bait might have the opposite effect of attracting more hornets instead of getting rid of them.
Critter Control has over 40 years of experience getting rid of all kinds of infestations, including hornets.
Hornet Control and Prevention
Hornets will not use the same nest from year to year, but if the location is prime for hornet life, they could return to the same area and build a new nest. That is why it’s imperative to use exclusion methods to make your property less attractive to them. Here’s how:
- Seal cracks and gaps in walls, eaves, and vents to prevent hornets from being able to enter your home.
- Inspect your yard regularly in the spring season for nest-building activity.
- Reduce sources of food for them by keeping trash and compost bins sealed tightly. In addition, clean up promptly after cooking and eating outdoors to avoid attracting hornets.
- Add a fake hornet nest to your yard. You can make one using a stuffed brown paper bag and hanging it from a branch or shed. Hornets are territorial and will not build a nest in another hornet’s territory.
- Keep trees and bushes well-trimmed to eliminate potential nesting sites and clean up any rotted wood around your yard, as it makes great nest-building material.
- Minimize standing water on your property. Hornets utilize water to build their nests.
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Roughly 3/4 of an inch to two inches in length, hornets are one of the largest types of wasps. Their coloration varies from light yellow to white mixed with black stripes. The pests have sturdy, robust bodies, big heads, and rounded abdomens.
When trying to identify a hornet vs. a wasp, the differences can be subtle. Hornets are larger than wasps. There are variations in their coloring, too. Some wasps are black and yellow, but some species can be black and orange. Wasps are also more slender than hornets.
Hornets are attracted to habitats that are close to a continuous supply of food and that provide them protection. This includes backyards, parks, gardens, and wooded areas. They are partial to a temperate climate, which is found in much of the United States. European hornets are the only true hornets found in the U.S. There has been some talk about murder hornets, but they have not been recorded in the U.S. since 2021.
Different species of hornets have different nesting preferences. These stinging pests build their nests in sheltered locations such as trees, shrubs, under house eaves, or in holes in the ground. Hornets make a pulpy paper-like material out of leaves and wood to build their nests. These hives range from a few inches in diameter to the size of a basketball and are often located in trees, bushes, or hanging from the side of buildings. Colonies can get as large as 700 workers during late summer.
Hornets often construct their nests in the protected areas provided by sheds, porches, and roof eaves. They’ll then enter the living areas of your home through gaps in house siding or open windows and doors. Sometimes, hornet colonies will even set up nests inside homes, such as in attics or wall voids.
The more hornets you have in your home, the more likely it is that the nest is close by. A walk around your home and property can reveal the location of the nest, but they are sometimes hard to locate. It is best to call Critter Control to keep you and your family safe from stings.
A hornet’s nest needs to be eliminated quickly and with the utmost care. Before you or someone in your family gets stung, call Critter Control. Critter Control will not only eliminate the nest but also put together a plan for making your property less attractive to hornets.
To make your lawn less favorable to hornets, you should keep your grass short and trim bushes and trees with regularity. Inspect your porch and other common nesting areas around your home to catch infestations before they grow too large. Additionally, seal any gaps in windows and window screens and keep gutters and eaves in top shape.
The best way to permanently get rid of hornets is to apply a combination of removing their nests, exclusion, and periodic inspections. Once you call Critter Control for an inspection, your specialist will put together a complete plan for getting rid of hornets, making your property less attractive to them, fixing vulnerabilities in your home that allow hornets to get in, and restoring your home to its original condition if damaged by hornets.
Exclusion activities such as sealing gaps in your home, keeping your lawn and plantings trimmed, and eliminating outdoor food sources are good homeowner practices for discouraging not only hornets but almost every other pest that plagues homes.
The short answer is yes. However, hornets will aggressively defend their nest. You risk getting stung multiple times by many hornets and suffering from the pain, swelling, and potentially more serious side effects. When you have a hornet infestation, Call Critter Control. They have the experience and expertise to safely remove hornet nests from anywhere in your home or on your property.
If you do try to remove a hornet nest, wear protective clothing, wait until after dark when they are less active, and spray a store-bought hornet insecticide directly into the nest. Wait 24 hours and check on activity. Remove the nest and seal it in a plastic bag for refuse.
Many pests, including hornets, hate the smell of lavender, mint, rosemary, vinegar, and citrus. However, putting these plants close to a nest will not eliminate the hornets. They will quickly get used to the scent.
Calling a professional hornet removal company is the best way to get rid of hornets. Critter Control is uniquely qualified to handle humane stinging insect pest control of even the most difficult hornet infestations and always provides a customer satisfaction guarantee with their work.
Costs will vary depending on the location and severity of your infestation. Critter Control, upon inspection, will put together a comprehensive plan and cost estimate for eliminating, excluding, and restoring damage made by hornets.
The scorpion is a venomous arachnid that lives in warm habitats all over America. These pests have a stinger they use to kill or stun their prey.
There are many different species, and their size, color, and appearance can vary greatly.
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With their unique look, scorpions are easily recognizable. The pests have two large pinchers at the front of their body and a curved tail with a stinger.
Scorpions are usually around three inches long, but some grow up to seven inches in length. They may be yellow, reddish-brown, or black in color.
Inside the United States, scorpions typically thrive in hot, dry climates such as the Southwest. However, the pests do not live strictly in desert areas.
Also found in deciduous forests, grasslands, and mountains, scorpions can live in many different habitats.
Are scorpions known to enter homes or yards?
Preferring the outdoors, scorpions live under rocks and brush. Residents may carry them inside with firewood or find them crawling through an open door.
Some scorpions are adept climbers. Still, their initial instinct is to flee from people and they do not nest in homes.
Do scorpions harm people or property?
It is rare to find a scorpion indoors. While the pests cause minimal property damage, they can injure people.
Scorpions are venomous with stings that may cause swelling, pain, or more serious allergic reactions.
Mowing grass and removing debris from the yard will reduce potential hiding spots for a scorpion. These pests are nocturnal and hibernate during the winter, so encounters often occur on warm evenings.
Homeowners can keep scorpions away by securing doors and windows. For help removing scorpions safely, contact your local pest control specialists.
This type of pest control is not available in all markets. Please contact your nearest Critter Control location to see if traditional pest control service is available in your area.
Most bees native to the U.S. are solitary by nature and rarely sting. However, despite their environmental importance, bees can become a household nuisance when they build nests in places like sheds, barns, and homes.
- Bees can be dangerous when they feel threatened.
- Nesting habits vary by species (honey bees vs. bumblebees).
- Bee stings can be serious, especially for those with allergies.
- Signs of infestation include buzzing, stings, hives, and structural damage.
- Critter Control offers safe and effective bee removal services
Critter Control Process for Bee Removal
- Get an Inspection and Quote on Bee Removal.
- In certain situations, live bee removal is possible. We can safely remove the bees and honeycomb using a bee vac.
- After the colony of bees has been removed, we treat the area. Leaving the hive behind will attract other pests. Rodents, raccoons, and roaches are attracted to the hive to eat. Other bee colonies can use the abandoned hive!
What Are the Signs of a Bee Infestation?
Signs of a bee infestation might not always be immediately obvious, but if you pay attention, you may notice a few telltale signs. This may include:
Stings
If you’ve been stung on your property, you may have an active bee infestation, especially if it’s happened more than once or twice. Bee stings are painful and, in some cases, can be life-threatening due to allergic reactions. If you suspect you have an infestation, call a professional for bee removal rather than attempting it yourself.
Hives
Bee hives can vary in appearance based on species. Honey bee hives are large, waxy, and often hidden from plain view in a tree hollow, wall void, or similar cavity. Bumblebee nests tend to be smaller, less structured, and located underground or in a hidden area.
If you find one on your property, don’t attempt bee hive removal yourself. Bees sting when they feel threatened, which can be dangerous—especially if you’re allergic—so it’s best to hire a professional to take care of the process.
Buzzing Sounds
Persistent, concentrated buzzing, especially near walls, trees, or sheds, is a clear sign of bee activity. While a few bees flitting about, buzzing around your home and garden throughout the day doesn’t automatically mean an infestation, loud, concentrated buzzing often does.
Structural Damage
Bees can do a number on your home, especially if they take up residence in a wall void, shed, or similar spot. They can create holes in wood as they build their nests, leave behind unsightly honey stains, and weaken internal structures, especially within walls or attics. Because of this, it’s important to address the issue sooner rather than later, before the bees build a stronghold within your home or on your property.
Pest Control for Bees
Due to the health and safety risks involved, homeowners inexperienced with removing hives should not attempt to handle them alone. While effective pesticides are available, using them incorrectly on hives will only provoke the bees inside.
If you suspect you have a bee problem, do not hesitate to contact our experienced team at Critter Control. While many pest control companies are unwilling to handle bee infestations due to their complexity and the bees’ importance to the environment, we specialize in safe bee removal and effective pest control for bees. Once we remove the infestation, we’ll even repair any structural damage left behind to restore your home’s integrity.
Searching for bee removal company near you? Critter Control can get rid of bee nests and bee problems with effective bee control and bee removal solutions. Contact us to learn more about professional bee removal costs for carpenter bees, bumblebees, and similar types of bees.
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Species of bees vary in size and shape. Most are yellow and black or have metallic coloring. They range in size from 1/4 to 1 inch long and have small heads, large abdomens, and four wings. Though often confused with wasps, yellow jackets, and hornets, bees are distinguishable by their rounder and furry bodies.
More information on what a bee looks like.
Although not native to North America, bees are found in every U.S. state. Some species, like Africanized or “killer” honey bees, require tropical climates to survive. Honey and bumble bees build wax hives, while ground bees dig holes in wood or earth.
Are bees known to enter homes or yards?
In nature, bees nest in trees and logs. When given access to homes, the pests construct hives in walls, attics, or crawlspaces. Ground-dwelling bees search for large areas of exposed, dry, undisturbed soil, and find sparse lawns inviting places to dig tunnels and lay eggs.
Do bees harm people or property?
These generally passive pests will sting when they feel threatened. Stings are painful and sting sites may swell. Allergic individuals can go into anaphylactic shock after an encounter with a bee. Additionally, ground-dwelling bee species may dig up lawns and ruin landscaping.
Homeowners can deter the pests by removing flowers like sunflowers, coneflowers, goldenrod, and clovers from gardens and flowerbeds, which attract bees. Sealing cracks in building exteriors and replacing broken window and door screens reduces the possibility of finding them inside. Finally, make sure all exposed outdoor wood has been treated to discourage wood-boring species.
Bees’ already dwindling numbers worldwide threatens future agriculture, so efforts should be made to discourage or relocate them rather than destroy their hives. Contact professional pest control services for safe and efficient prevention and removal of bees.
Stinging insects play an important role in the ecosystem, but when they build nests too close to home, they can quickly become a threat. Depending on where they’re built, a beehive or stinging insect nest can either go unnoticed or become a serious problem.
Bees, paper wasps, and hornets often nest in attics, walls, soffits, under eaves and porches, or in tree branches. Others — like yellowjackets and some bee species — prefer to build their nests in the ground.
When these nests are located near entrances, windows, decks, or inside your home, they can pose a real risk. In these cases, removal should always be handled by a professional. We specialize in safely removing all types of stinging insect nests, including those made by wasps, bees, yellow jackets, hornets, and paper wasps.
What Are the Most Common Stinging Insects?
Residential areas are home to several species that sting, each with its own risks and behaviors:
- Bees: Fuzzy, round-bodied, and often striped yellow and black, bees are usually docile unless provoked.
- Yellow jackets: Sleek with vivid yellow and black stripes, yellow jackets are highly aggressive and easily provoked. They often nest underground or in wall voids, making yellow jacket nest removal complex and hazardous.
- Wasps: Slim with narrow waists and smooth bodies, wasps can be surprisingly aggressive, especially in late summer. They’re known to build nests in hard-to-see spots and are capable of stinging multiple times.
- Hornets: Larger than most wasps, hornets are more territorial and will defend their nests vigorously. Hornet removal should always be left to the professionals due to their painful stings and unpredictable behavior.
Why Are Stinging Insects Dangerous?
Stinging insects can pose more than just a physical threat, potentially jeopardizing your family’s health and your home’s safety. Issues may include:
- Health risks: If anyone in your family has serious allergies, even a single sting could trigger a severe, potentially life-threatening reaction. In cases of an infestation, the chances of being stung multiple times increase significantly.
- Structural damage: Some species, like bees and wasps, build nests inside walls, roofs, and ceilings. Over time, these nests can weaken wood, trap moisture, and lead to mold or rot.
- Secondary infestations: Leftover honey or abandoned nests can attract ants, rodents, and other pests looking for food or shelter, compounding the issue.
Once they’ve settled in, these insects can be hard to evict. Because of that, quick identification and action are a must.
Where Do Stinging Insects Nest?
Insects that sting choose nest locations that offer protection and proximity to food sources. These spots are often hidden in plain sight on your home or in your yard.
Structures
Soffits, those tucked-away areas under your roof’s overhang, are a popular nesting spot on your home since they provide shelter and elevation. Ceilings and roofs, including attics, roof eaves, and crawl spaces, are attractive for the same reasons but also offer warmth, which is especially appealing to bees and wasps.
They may also take up residence under your feet, building their nests under floorboards and porches. These shaded and low-traffic zones are the perfect environment for them to build their nests and grow their colonies unnoticed.
Trees and Shrubs
Tree branches and dense shrubbery offer ideal conditions for hornet and hanging wasp nests. These locations provide camouflage and easy escape routes, making removal particularly tricky.
What Are the Signs of Infestation?
Seeing a stinging insect fly by every now and again isn’t an issue, but when they keep appearing, or you start noticing specific signs, it might point to a growing infestation. Common signs include:
Stings
Frequent stings are the most obvious red flag. If you or your family members are constantly falling victim to stinging insects, it’s time to investigate. This is especially important if anyone in your family is allergic.
Nests
Nests vary based on the species: Bees build waxy hives, while hornets and wasps create papery, football-shaped nests. They might be tucked under eaves, hidden in shrubs, or even inside wall voids.
Eggs
In most cases, you won’t spot the eggs because they are hidden within the nest. Professionals who are trained to recognize early egg-laying activity can help determine whether the colony is growing rapidly.
Swarming
If you see large numbers of flying insects in one area, especially hovering around entry points or trees, there’s a good chance you have a nest nearby. Swarming behavior is particularly common during nesting season.
Pest Control Services for Stinging Insects
Wondering how to handle stinging insects and evict them from your home? The answer is simple: don’t go it alone.
Most pest control companies avoid dealing with stinging insects due to the risk involved. At Critter Control, we offer hornet nest removal, wasp removal, and bee removal near you. We have the training and tools to remove the stinging insects safely, and we go a step further by repairing any damage they’ve caused to your home.
Whether you need help with bee hive removal, are wondering how to remove a yellow jacket nest, or need full wasp removal near you, you can trust us to get the job done right. Contact us today to evict stinging insects from your home.
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The physical characteristics of biting and stinging insects vary greatly depending on the species. Bed bugs and fleas, for instance, are notable for being tiny and difficult to see, while certain wasp and hornet species can grow as long as 0.5 inches (13 mm) or more. Likewise, the coloration of these pests varies considerably, from the distinctive black and yellow stripes of bees and yellow jackets, to the reddish hue of the fire ant.
Despite their differences, all biting and stinging insects have six legs, a pair of antennae, and a segmented body divided into the head, thorax, and abdomen. Stinging insects also have a stinger, which they use to inject venom.
Many types of biting and stinging insects live in large colonies, including fire ants and eusocial species of bees, hornets, and wasps. Fire ants nest in the ground and often produce a visible mound that marks the entrance to their colony. Certain species of wasps and hornets also live underground, while others reside in aerial nests or hives.
While biting insects like bed bugs, fleas, and mosquitoes frequently infest areas in large numbers, their nesting habits are far less structured than those of bees or fire ants. Bed bugs live in cracks, crevices, and mattresses in rooms where humans or pets sleep at night, while fleas typically spend the majority of their adult lives on a host animal. Mosquitoes live outdoors, where they breed in stagnant water.
Are biting and stinging insects known to enter homes or yards?
Biting and stinging insects regularly enter homes in a variety of ways. Cracks and crevices, torn window screens, and other small gaps or openings provide easy access to the indoors for these relatively tiny pests. The tiniest of them all, however, gain entry into homes by hitching rides. Bed bugs attach themselves to items like clothing, luggage, and secondhand furniture, while fleas are often carried into the home on infested pets.
Do biting and stinging insects harm people or property?
The primary causes for concern over biting and stinging insects are the bites and stings these pests inflict on humans and other animals. Bites from mosquitoes, bed bugs, and fleas produce reddish welts on the skin that itch and irritate, while beestings can be painful and may also cause localized swelling and irritation. In especially severe cases, the venom that bees, hornets, and wasps inject when they sting can trigger the onset of anaphylactic shock. Similarly, mosquito bites have the potential to escalate in severity, as the pests can spread diseases such as dengue fever, malaria, and West Nile Virus. They also carry and transfer the larvae that causes heartworm in dogs.
Controlling biting and stinging insects can be challenging due to the safety hazards they present. Certain species of wasps and hornets will defend their nests aggressively, while fire ants swarm in large numbers when they detect a threat. Even when biting and stinging insects are safe to handle, they can still be hard to control. Bed bugs, for instance, are relatively harmless but notorious for being difficult to eradicate because of their small size and elusive nature.
If you experience an infestation of biting or stinging insects, contact your local branch of Critter Control for professional assistance. We understand the need for safety in pest management, and we use the safest and most effective control methods possible.
Getting rid of biting and stinging insects is often tricky since they can enter structures in a variety of ways and build their nests in unique places. Our knowledgeable technicians at Critter Control will assess the insect problem and any insect damage before using environmentally friendly pest control methods. We can then help you establish an effective and long-lasting pest control plan for peace of mind when it comes to preventing future infestations. Critter Control pest technicians can remove a variety of bees, wasps, and hornets. We also specialize in bed bug extermination, fire ant extermination, flea removal, and mosquito extermination.
Wasps generally fall into two groups: social or solitary. Solitary wasps can sting and may annoy individuals with their presence, but they are rarely targeted for pest control because they don’t appear in large numbers. Social wasps, including yellow jackets, paper wasps, and hornets, live together in wasp nests and can gather in the thousands, making them a serious threat to people.
Pest Control for Wasp Problems
Wasps become a big problem when social wasps nest close to you. Depending on the species, a nest can be under porches, inside walls, or buried in the yard. You need to call a professional pest control company to make sure the pests are exterminated and done so safely.
1) Wasp identification- The professional pest control technician at Critter Control will correctly identify the wasps species and the location of the nest.
2) Depending on the wasps and the location of the nest will determine the treatment. We will exterminate the wasps and remove the nesting materials.
3) After wasp nest removal, we treat the area to prevent future pest problems.
What Are the Signs of a Wasp Infestation?
Wasps can be attracted to many common things in our yards, such as unsealed trash cans, outdoor pet food, fallen fruit, and your BBQ. If you notice wasps buzzing around your house and yard, especially near your porch, fence, or eaves, you could have a nearby nest. Getting stung, seeing a nest, noticing eggs in a small recess of your siding, and swarming are all signs of a wasp infestation.
Stings
Because wasps sting in defense of their nest, if you or a family member gets stung once or multiple times, there’s likely a nest nearby. Wasp stings are quite painful and can be life-threatening to someone who is allergic. Always reach out to a professional when in need of wasp removal. Yellowjackets, in particular, are one of the common stinging insects in the U.S.
Nests
Different types of wasps build different nests. In addition to the papery round nest with an entrance at the bottom that we’ve all seen hanging from a tree branch, wasp nests can also look like a honeycomb attached to the ceiling of your porch or shed. Mud wasps will build small, tunnel-shaped nests.
Eggs
Wood wasps prefer to make holes in wood or utilize a crevice in a tree into which they lay their eggs and place paralyzed insects for food.
Swarming
Unlike honey bees that swarm when splitting off to form a new colony, wasps swarm in defense of their nest or to locate food in the fall when it becomes more scarce. Stay away from these swarms, as the wasps can attack for little to no reason.
Need Professional Stinging Inspect Control? Call Critter Control
Critter Control wasp removal can safely get rid of wasp nests and wasp problems through effective wasp control and wasp removal solutions. Our experts know how to get rid of wasps and eliminate wasp problems, as well as repair any damage they may have caused to your home.
Wasp sprays and wasp traps that you can use on your own are only effective at killing a small number of wasps and are not recommended for nests that might contain hundreds of them. You need a professional. Critter Control has locations throughout the country, so there is always one near you. If you suspect you have a wasp problem, call Critter Control at 1-800-CRITTER before someone gets stung.
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Size and color vary from wasp to wasp. In general, social wasps have black and yellow stripes or spots and measure between one and two inches in length. However, some species are uniquely colored and appear red or black. In contrast to bees, who are typically hairy or fuzzy, wasps have smooth, shiny bodies. The pests are aggressive and sting people often.
Solitary Wasps
Most solitary wasps build their nests in the ground. Others make nests of mud attached to sheltered spots on homes, such as behind shutters or under eaves. It is the females that build these nests. They sting and paralyze insects or spiders and bring them back to the nest to feed their larvae.
Social Wasps
Social wasps live in above-ground colonies that can house dozens or thousands of wasps that work together to build and maintain the nest, find food, raise their young, and defend the nest, if necessary.
Their nests are primarily built by chewing wood mixed with their saliva until it forms a paper-like material. They attach these nests to tree branches, logs, utility poles, and house siding. And they’ve been known to build nests in attics.
Wasps enter homes through cracks, holes, and open doors or windows. They typically build nests hanging off roof eaves but may construct them somewhere inside homes if they’re able to move freely between the indoors and outdoors.
Although wasps serve an important ecological role, they can be dangerous to people as one of their traits is that they are extremely territorial and aggressive. Their instinct to sting with little to no provocation is increased by the fact that they can sting multiple times and release pheromones that alert other wasps nearby to join in on the attack.
The most common reason a wasp will sting is that someone is near their nest, and, unfortunately, they like to build those nests in areas that people frequent, such as near doorways, hanging from eaves, or underground in your lawn where your family and pets play.
Wasp stings hurt, and the danger of having an infestation of wasps on your properties is the potential of being stung over and over again by many of them. Being stung so many times can be potentially life-threatening to someone who is allergic. In addition, wasps can chew through wood, using it to construct their nests, which damages the structural integrity of the home or shed they are chewing through.
Individuals should avoid wasp nests as best they can to keep themselves safe. Since hives often appear on private properties, it’s important to take action at the first sign of infestation. Additionally, since wasps are attracted to trash, food, and sugary drinks, get tightly fitted lids for trash bins and have covered containers when picnicking.
Controlling wasps is dangerous so homeowners should not attempt to remove infestations on their own. For the safest results, call the pest control experts at Critter Control. Our experts keep residents safe from the dangers of wasp presence.