Before your home was built, a lot of work had to be done around your property. Trees were removed, the ground was leveled, and materials were brought in to mold your land into what it needed to be. All of these things were done to make your property a comfortable place to live. Now that you live inside your home, one of your jobs is to make sure your yard and landscaping are well maintained. Part of this process involves deterring pests like wasps. If you would like to keep these painful pests off your property but don’t know where to start, here are ten simple tricks you can try.
Common Wasps Around San Antonio
San Antonio is home to a variety of wasp species. Some are more problematic than others. The four most common wasps species that live in our area are yellow jackets, cicada killers, mud daubers, and paper wasps. Some species of wasps such as paper wasps and yellow jackets are social and live in large nests constructed out of saliva and chewed up cellulose (the main component found in wood). Other species of wasps such as mud daubers and cicada killers are not social and prefer to live alone.
Are Wasps Beneficial?
Wasps are incredibly beneficial. Just like bees, wasps pollinate plants as they buzz around and feed. They also help reduce insect populations around the areas they nest. The only problem is that many species of wasps are extremely territorial. Yellow jackets, in particular, become hyper-aggressive during late fall as their queens prepare for winter. If wasps have settled down on your property, do not expect them to leave you alone if you wander too close to their nests. Be extra careful around wasps if you are allergic as one sting may be enough to land you in the hospital.
Tips To Reduce Wasp Activity
Wasps don’t care much how your yard looks, but rather what resources they can find there. If your property has holes in the ground, lots of flowers, fruit trees, or other edible plants, wasps will be much more likely to settle down nearby. The same is true if you leave food out after outdoor gatherings, if there are lots of insects crawling around, or if your home has convenient locations for wasps to build their nests. To fight back against these painful pests, use these ten simple prevention tips.
- Clean up thoroughly after outdoor gatherings.
- Keep your grass cut short.
- Fill in holes around your yard.
- Knock down small wasp nests before they grow out of control. (even with this, use caution.)
- Trim your bushes and shrubs regularly.
- Plant wormwood, mint, eucalyptus, or citronella plants around your property.
- Pick up fruit as it falls from trees around your property.
- Reduce the number of flowering plants you plant around your yard and garden.
- Make sure your trash cans have tight-fitting lids.
- Store leftover foods inside airtight containers.
How To Get Rid Of Wasps
When wasps invade properties, removing them can be difficult. Without the proper safety equipment and knowledge, trying to handle these pests on your own is a dangerous venture. To stay safe and remove wasps from your San Antonio yard, trust the professionals at Romney Pest Control. Our team has the experience and tools needed to safely and effectively treat for wasps. We also offer pest exclusion and abatement programs to keep pest invaders like wasps out of your home as well as reduce their populations around your property.
Give us a call today to schedule wasp removal services for your San Antonio property, or to discuss our quality pest control options.
