A common pest in the Houston area is the paper wasp. There is a lot you probably know about them. You know that they sting. You know that they create grey, paper nests. And, it is likely that you are aware of how paper wasps can come flooding out of their nest, swarm around you, and sting you multiple times. But if this is all you know about paper wasps, do you really know enough to protect yourself and your family? Here are some paper wasp facts that can help you reduce your chances of being stung.
How Paper Wasps Behave Away From Their Nests
When you see a paper wasp flying around in your yard, you shouldn’t fear it. That wasp has no interest in stinging you, provided you don’t agitate it. How do you agitate a wasp? Fast movements. But don’t be confused. You can move quickly to get away from a wasp without causing it to become aggressive. The key is to keep your arms from swinging rapidly. Most sting victims will tell you one of three things. They waved their arms at the wasps, they compressed the wasps by accident, or they disturbed a nest. So, the first step toward sting prevention is to not wave your arms.
Accidental Contact
When wasp populations increase in a yard, the chances of being stung increase. You can sit on a wasp. You can place your hand on a wasp that is just on the other side of a deck railing. You can touch a wasp that is crawling around on a cup that has been sitting in an outdoor location. You can compress a wasp when grabbing a trash bag out of a bin. Watch where you sit or where you put your hands if you want to avoid being stung.
Disturbing A Nest
There are many ways to disturb a nest. You can brush against a bush that has a nest in it. You can pound on a nail and cause a vibration through an exterior wall that has a nest on it. You can run up the stairs onto a porch and the pounding of your feet on the floor boards can inspire a nest on the ceiling of the porch to release wasps.
One location you don’t expect to have trouble with wasps is inside your home, but these insects sometimes build nests in the wall voids of homes when they find an entry point. This can cause you to come out of the shower and find yourself in a swarm of very unhappy wasps.
What You Can Do To Prevent Wasp Nests
There are conditions that attract wasps to your yard. While you aren’t going to be able to address all the conditions that make wasps want to build a nest on your property, you can change some of them.
- Alter conditions that allow rainwater to accumulate. Water sources and moisture attract wasps and the bugs that wasps feed on.
- Do a detailed inspection of your exterior and seal entry points. This will help to prevent wasps from establishing a nest inside your home.
- Keep trash in sealed receptacles and be sure to routinely clean your receptacles. Wasps can find food sources in your trash.
How Romney Pest Control Can Help
The secret to preventing wasp stings is quite simple: early detection of wasp nests, and wasp nest removal. This is best done by a licensed pest professional. At Romney Pest Control, we offer year-round residential pest control service that includes routine, 6-point home pest control inspections which ensure that no wasp nest catches you by surprise. Reach out to us today to learn more or to schedule to talk with a pest professional. We’re standing by to help.
