Are you familiar with what a paper wasp is? Do you know that paper wasps are the wasps that create those gray nests on the sides of your home? Do you know that they are often rusty brown and yellow in coloration but that they may be black and yellow like a yellow jacket? These, and other facts, are important to know if you want to protect your family from wasp stings. Paper wasps can be aggressive insects when they feel threatened, or when their nests are threatened. Let's take a closer look at this problem.
Visits Are Okay
It isn't a problem when a paper wasp visits your New Haven property. In fact, it is good to have them around. Paper wasps help with pollination and they take down venomous spiders. Problems arise when paper wasps get it into their little wasp heads that living on your property is a pretty good idea. Why? Because paper wasps are mostly docile when they are away from their nests. If you chance upon a wasp in your landscaping, you're not likely to get stung. You can even have a paper wasp land on your skin and not get stung. The key is to not freak out. (That is easier said than done.) But trust us when we tell you that wasps don't have any interest in stinging you. Stings from random wasps typically occur when they're sat on, knelt on, or someone places their hand on one by accident. They may also sting if they detect a rapid movement (like a swinging arm). If you move away from a wasp briskly without swinging your arms, there is little to no chance that you'll be stung.
When Wasps Move In
If wasps have established a nest on your property and you don't know it, you may see a wasp flying around in your landscaping and not realize that you are in danger. The nest-protection instinct of a paper wasp is quite potent. When one wasp sounds the alarm by producing a pheromone scent in the air, the other drones from the nest start pouring out to defend it. This can lead to multiple sting wounds, even if you come in contact with a small nest because each wasp has the ability to sting several times. So, as you can see, nest detection and removal is essential. If nests are caught early and removed, the risk of being stung by paper wasps on your property goes down significantly. But, how do you do this? Who has time to do routine inspections of their property? Life gets busy. You have two options. You can do one or both.
1. Make your property less interesting to wasps. If a wasp comes into your yard and is unable to find water, food, or harborage options, it may move on to the next yard. Address conditions that allow water to collect in your yard. Keep trash bins covered. Remove any objects from your yard that don't need to be there. These, and similar strategies, can deter wasps.
2. Invest in a residential pest control program. When you have routine visits from a licensed pest professional, you get routine inspections, early nest detection, and nest removal. This prevents wasps from becoming a stinging hazard.
Do you live in New Haven, Connecticut? If so, you're in our service area. Reach out to Connecticut Pest Elimination, LLC and request a pest control evaluation. We'll guide you in selecting the right pest control plan for your New Haven property. There is no better way to safeguard yourself and your family from the threat that wasps present. Reach out to us today.