Common Stinging Insects Of Kansas

6/26/2018

Most people are aware that stinging insects are beneficial pests; they are responsible for pollinating many varieties of plants and can help to reduce populations of nuisance insects. However, that doesn’t change the fact that throughout the summer as stinging insect colonies are building their populations and foraging for food throughout the summer, they will become a danger for us, our family, and pets to be around. In our area, there are several species of stinging insects that homeowners need to be aware of. To help you and your family protect your home from dangerous stinging insects and be able to enjoy your outdoor space this summer, here is some information and helpful tips about stinging insects:

The most common stinging insects found in the Kansas area include:

Wasps, hornets and yellow jackets are all considered to be dangerous pests; they are very aggressive and will defend themselves and colonies from anything they view as a threat by delivering repeated painful stings. Their venom is also strong enough to cause allergic reactions in people, and may even trigger life-threatening anaphylactic shock. While stinging insects are beneficial to the environment, they also have the potential to become a danger to you and your family when nesting on your property or near your home, like underneath a deck or under a roof eave.

It can be very difficult to prevent these stinging insects from creating their nests on your property, but the following tips can help make your property less appealing to them. Some helpful stinging insect prevention tips include:

Trim back overgrown vegetation that they could nest in away from the exterior of your home.

Avoid planting shrubs and bushes right next to the exterior of your home, if possible.
Remove water sources by fixing leaky pipes and making sure that gutters are not collecting water.
Many stinging insects are attracted to bright colored flowers; try not to plant too many of these flowers on your property.
Stinging insects are attracted to food scraps found in garbage; make sure that all outdoor trash cans have tight-fitting lids on them.
To stop stinging insects from finding their way into your home, seal any entry points around windows and doors, make sure that screens are intact and installed in windows and doors, and place a cap on all chimneys.

To help protect yourself and your family from painful wasp, yellow jackets, and hornet stings this summer, it is important to be vigilant; always keep a lookout for stinging insects, and if you do find a nest on your property, contact the professionals at Schendel Pest Services immediately. Attempting to eliminate a stinging insect nest on your own is never a good idea. Let the professionals who have the proper safety equipment and technology needed to eliminate these dangerous pests from your property take care of the issue for you instead!

At Schendel Pest Services, our year-round pest control services can help to protect your home from stinging insects throughout the summer and the rest of the year as well. To learn more about implementing one of our Premium Care programs in order to protect your family from stinging insects and other household pests, contact us today!