What Huntsville Property Owners Should Know About Wasp Control
August 28, 2020
Everyone’s had that feeling. You’re enjoying a sandwich on your outdoor deck and you see a dark speck out of the corner of your eye. It’s a little too big to be a fly and a little too fast to be your average honeybee. The fear that creeps into your stomach is there, but you push it down, not wanting to let a little insect ruin your lunch. That fear comes roaring back when a wasp lands right behind your plate--and stares at you. At this point, your lunch is ruined. But don’t cry over one ruined lunch. Let’s shift our focus to how you can prevent this from happening in the future.
Huntsville Wasps
The majority of wasps in the Huntsville area fall into three major categories: yellow jackets, paper wasps, and hornets. Yellow jackets are the most social of the three. They can build nests in ground holes and they often gang up on their prey, defending their nests violently. Paper wasps have similar traits, but, instead of ground nests, they typically create nests in any sort of outdoor ceiling, making them a threat to porches and patios. Hornets are the largest of these and have larger nests, making them a little bit easier to notice but more dangerous to disturb.
The most troubling part about these wasps is their ability to sting multiple times and their pack mentality. If you disturb their nest or threaten an individual wasp, they’re able to send distress signals to other wasps to come to their defense. This can lead to multiple stings from multiple wasps, which can require medical attention. Multiple wasp stings can cause an allergic reaction in many people. An allergic reaction can include difficulty breathing, shock, permanent skin damage, and cardiovascular effects.
Wasp Prevention
Because of the severe health concerns that come with wasp stings, and the nuisance that wasp nests create in your outdoor spaces, it is important to make wasp prevention a priority. Even though wasps do have environmental benefits, they're not worth the risk to you, your family, and your pets. Here are a few quick ways to make your property less appealing to wasps looking to nest:
- Rid your porch of food sources. This includes hummingbird feeders, pet food, fruits, etc.
- Keep your windows and doors shut. If you want to let some fresh air in, make sure there’s a screened door or window blocking wasps from entering your home or outdoor porch.
- Make sure that all garbage and compost sources are covered. Denying wasps access to these convenient food sources will encourage them to find a new home.
- Keep an eye out for nests and deal with the problem promptly. This can ensure wasp nests do not grow to a size too great to handle.
If you find a wasp nest, even a small one, there is a high chance of infestation around your property. Never attempt to deal with an active infestation on your own; instead, contact the professionals at Custom Pest Control. The bottom line is, even if wasps don’t feel threatened, they may attack humans. And these attacks can cause serious medical harm. Trust the professionals to get rid of nests on your property. The professional pest technicians here at Custom Pest Control have the know-how to get the job done right. There’s no replacement for guaranteed safety, so enlisting the pros for wasp prevention is a no-brainer. Reach out to Custom Pest Control today for prompt assistance.