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.