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A wasp infestation can be a nasty presence in or near any home.
Our pest-control and pest-maintenance specialists warn that if you discover a nest inside you residence, whatever you do, never seal off outside ingress to the nest, as this will force the angry and confused wasps to chew their way inside the home with highly unpleasant results.
The nest should be removed in this case, but in other instances, such as if the nest is outside in a yard or tree, wasps are beneficial pollinators in gardens, and can perhaps be tolerated for the few months they would be active on your property before dying off.
If you or any members of your family suffer from allergies, however, removal of both the colony and the nest are always necessary.
Whatever you decide, don’t wait too long to take action after discovering a nest. Ignoring a wasp invasion is not a wise thing to do. Wasps are very dangerous because their nature is both fiercely aggressive and territorial.
Unlike bees, they attack with their long stingers several times with just the barest hint of approach to their nests.
While they are not vectors of disease, they are a cause of concern for humans and pets because their stings can cause an allergic reaction known as anaphylaxis, which is considered a life and death emergency.
If the individual does not have access to an adrenaline auto injector, there is great risk of imminent death.
Call 911 immediately if there is no injector nearby and try to remove the stinger if possible.
Symptoms of this condition include: lightheadedness or feeling faint; difficulty breathing; rapid heartbeat; anxiety and confusion; wheezing and loss of consciousness.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), a non allergic person can usually withstand 10 stings per pound of body weight.
A multitude of wasp bites , however, can easily be fatal. It should be noted that even if a person has no allergies, sustaining many wasp stings can still cause death.
Why Do Wasps Invade Indoors?
Our pest-control and pest management specialists at Pestco warn that there are several reasons why wasps are attracted to a particular residence. They are as follows:
A Consistent Food Source
Protein, sweets, crumbs, spills and trash are all magnets for these unpleasant stinging critters. Other insects too, such as fleas, spiders and ants serve as viable food sources.
Moisture
Standing water particularly attracts wasps. Keeping things dry with a humidifier and repairing leaky pipes and appliances are all effective repellants because moisture buildup in the home is also very inviting to these nasty critters.
Shelter
Whenever called to the scene of an infestation, a qualified pest-control and pest-maintenance specialists should always inspect specific areas where wasps may congregate.
They are known to build their nests in wall voids, attics, eaves, door frame and window sills. They also build them on vegetation and home exteriors.
This allows easy ingress via cracks and gaps. If they find their way inside, wasps are known to overwinter there until spring temperatures coax them outside
Flowers And Their Scent
As pollinators, wasps feed upon the nectar from flowers. They are also drawn to their alluring fragrances.
Strategically placing wasp-repellent plants such as: lemongrass, basil, citronella, marigold and basil, inside floral arrangements and gardens are excellent deterrents.
10 Interesting Facts About Wasps
1. There Are Thousands Of Wasp Species
There are over 30,000 species of wasps spread allover the globe.
Many of them have interesting monikers such as: sand wasp; fairy wasps; fig wasps; gall wasps and tarantula hawk, which is said to cause shocking, painful electric stings.
Some species are social and live in hives; others solitary and live alone.
The majority are solitary, and social varieties are limited to about 1.000 species, which are found within the family Vespidae and include hornets and yellow jackets.
2. Wasps Are Creative Architects
Some species create their nests from paper-thin wood fibers by scraping away at wood and then creating delicate flakes, which are easily molded into nests resembling paper-mâché.
These “paper wasps” are usually found in attics, porches, garage rafters and any other places retaining exposed wooden beams.
The Mud Dapper Wasp use mud to build their structures, which are true works of art with chambers that are carefully sculpted into a symmetrical, mud walled nest that is as impressive as it is functional.
3. Wasps Have Their Proper Place In Nature
Although they can be harmful to humans, wasps are not only pollinators but also feed upon many common garden pests that are the bane of every gardener and farmer.
These include: aphids and caterpillars particularly, but truth be told there is a species of wasp somewhere in the world that preys upon most garden insects. Even clothes moths have their own predator wasp.
4. Wasps Come In Every Color Of The Rainbow
Mother Nature bestows these unpleasant insects with just about every color under the sun even though the black and yellow varieties are the most commonly found.
Australia’s Cuckoo Wasp has a metallic blue and bright green exoskeleton. Some species even have the ability to alter their body color based on ambient temperatures.
Our technicians are prepared to deal with any and all wasp species they encounter on a property.
5. Wasps Are More Aggressive in Extreme Heat
Yellow jackets, wasps and hornets are more likely to sting in late summer and early fall because food becomes scarce and they are desperate for moisture, which makes them more aggressive.
6. Wasps Don’t Always Live In Hives
Most bees live in hives, but many wasps do not. Some species are social and live in groups; others are solitary and thrive on their own.
Social wasps protest themselves and their nests with their stingers while solitary species use them to hunt prey.
7. The World’s Largest Wasp Is The Asian Giant Hornet
Truly the stuff of nightmares to behold, this monster, which is also known as the “murder hornet,” has a wing span of over three inches, a body length of about two inches and a stinger that is nearly a quarter of an inch long!
8. Males Die After Mating
Most of the wasps found in an average hive are female, and they are the workers and managers. The queen has only one task and that is to lay new eggs.
Male wasps, which are known as drones, mate with a few select females in the late summer and each will generate their own hives. The males die after the mating process.
9. Wasps Can Sting Multiple Times
Bees die after they sting because the stinger itself separates. Wasps, however, can sting many times, which is why they are so dangerous and toxic.
10. Wasps Use Scent To Communicate
Social wasp species are known to release pheromones when they feel threatened, which calls other wasps to a sometimes deadly rescue.
When wasps die, the nest should always be removed by pest-control specialists because pheromones are also released after death, and they are still potent enough to attract angry wasps to the site.
In Conclusion
If you are worried about wasps on your Pittsburgh property and have already seen more than a few buzzing about, call our teams at Pestco today! We’re here to help.
Photo Credits: Pixabay