As summer winds to an end, stinging insects like wasps and hornets are at the peak of their populations. Because they’ve spent all summer growing their colonies, their numbers are now at their greatest, which is why you may be seeing more of these insects now than any other time of the year. At this time, they become hungrier and greedier, needing more food to feed their members, which may lead them to your outdoor picnic or BBQ.  Obviously this is less than ideal; no one enjoys having yellow jackets swarming their lemonade glass or wasps buzzing around dinner plates. What can you do to prevent these insects from invading your property and stinging your friends and family? Here are some tips from the Topeka pest control professionals at Schendel Pest Services. 

To prevent stings from wasps and hornets: 

• Always wear shoes when you mow the lawn or you spend time in the garden.  Because nests are often in the ground, this can protect you from accidentally stepping on a nest. 

• If you are having a picnic or BBQ on your property, protect the food until it is time to eat. Keep everything covered as long as possible so as not to attract hungry wasps and hornets. 

• When finished eating, cover food back up quickly and return it indoors; the longer you leave your food out, the more hungry stinging insects you may attract. 

• If you plan to spend time outdoors, don’t wear floral or bright clothing and avoid the sweet smelling perfume or aftershave; these things can attract stinging insects to you. 

• If you know of any open areas on the exterior of your property, like gaps behind vinyl siding, block these areas up to prevent wasps and other stinging insects from finding a sheltered place to build a nest. 

To get rid of stinging insects on your property it is necessary to locate and remove the nest.  Depending on the species of stinging insect you have, these nests can be anywhere on your property. The yellow jacket is known for building nests in the ground.  The paper wasp will build nests up in trees, along soffits on houses, under decking and roof eaves as well as any other protected area of your structure. Sometimes these nests even get built into wall voids, which can be a big problem for homeowners. 

Removing a stinging insect nest is something best done by a professional, because insects like yellow jackets, bald-faced hornets and paper wasps can become very aggressive when they feel their nest is threatened.  These insects are capable of giving multiple painful stings that can cause redness and swelling in most people. Some people are allergic to the sting of these insects; when they are stung by a hornet, wasp or bee they may feel sick, their throat may close up and they may go into anaphylactic shock.  Because you never really know how you will react to the sting of these insects, you should leave the nest removal to the stinging insect control pros. Should you be stung before our professionals arrive to remove the nest for you, follow these quick tips: 

• Remove the stinger, if present. 

• Use ice to help reduce swelling. 

• Take over the counter pain medications for any pain associated with the sting (as approved by your doctor, of course!). 

• Keep an eye on the area to make sure it heals correctly. 

• If you have more severe reactions than itching, burning, redness and minor swelling, contact emergency services immediately, as you may be having an allergic reaction. 

For more information on pest control in Kansas City and throughout Kansas and our large service area that gets rid of stinging insects and their nests, please give us a call today. We would be happy to set up your first inspection to help determine the extent of your stinging insect problem. For complete control, wasp and hornet identification is helpful, but it is not absolutely necessary, so don’t get too close to these insects to determine what species you have on your property; our professionals can figure that out when they get there! 

For other pest problems, including bed bugs, termites, ants, spiders, cockroaches and more, Schendel offers effective services that will get rid of your pest problems quickly and safely; contact us today!