But let’s say you do. Don’t start swatting! That attracts more wasps, be calm and move away. Walk indoors if you can. But wait, it followed you inside? Open windows and doors and allow it some room to get out, that’s what it really wants anyway, to get outside. Wasps nests are generally found around loose piles of wood, under porches, along rafters, or in empty cans, buckets, boxes, etc. that are rarely used. Wasp nests can be rather large and look somewhat like a paper football.
Don’t kill the bees!
By now, everyone knows to protect the bees, but wasps, are another story. While wasps don’t pollinate plants, they do help us out by eating other insects. Wasps, if you don’t know, pack a pretty tough punch when they sting you, but they don’t die afterward. But how do you tell the difference between a bee and a wasp? Bees are “husky” wasps are “slim”, bees are “hairy” and wasps are smooth. While there are other characteristics, aren’t these super easy to remember? Husky and Hairy versus Slim and Smooth, are really great names and mascots for a wrestling match.
“Wasps Nests” can you say that three times really fast?
Wasp nests are generally designed by the queen in the spring and they grow all spring and early summer. By August, the nests are at their peak size and the wasps are at their most aggressive. The end of the summer is not the best time for you to decide to get rid of a wasp nest on your own. By August, either get the help of a professional or just try to avoid stirring them up. Wait and let the frost get them, then get rid of the nests so they don’t move back in next spring. If you are a self-declared wasp hunter, start looking for them early in the year and destroy the nests (and the queen) before they grow and get really angry.
Stop them before they have a fighting chance.
Here are five things you can do to prevent wasps from taking up residence with you next spring:
- Remove abandoned nests in winter
- Seal gaps in your home
- Eliminate loose piles of wood and refuse in your yard
- Clean up rotten fruit under fruit trees
- Keep outdoor garbage tightly sealed
Wasp hunters, is that a thing?
Well, of course, there’s always “that guy” who decides to either make art of an underground wasp nest (watch here). And then there’s the “inventor” type who decides to modify an old fan and make a wasp vacuum cleaner of sorts to suck all the wasps out of a nest (watch here). Personally, I am allergic to wasp stings and there’s no way I would attempt either of these unique approaches. I would call a professional pest service like Lawn and Pest Solutions and let them handle this while I stayed safely inside. A licensed technician from Lawn and Pest can assess the situation and handle it promptly and safely. We serve all areas between Memphis, Oxford, New Albany, Tupelo, and everywhere in between. Give us a call and avoid wasps, hornets, bees, and other angry pests!
