Wasps And The Homeowner: What You Need To Know

Posted on: 17 October 2022

One of the most annoying pests for any homeowner to deal with is the wasp. These insects carry a painful sting and can be rather tricky to eliminate once they invade your property. In some cases, you can probably just ignore a wasp nest if it is well away from your house or garage, or shed. If it's close to or inside of your home or other structure on the property, then you need to action. The following article provides some key information about wasps that all homeowners should know. 

Benefits

A key point about wasps is that they can be beneficial in some circumstances. For instance, if you have a vegetable garden, you certainly don't want pests such as caterpillars and beetles feeding on your plants. Wasps eat a number of pests that attacks vegetable gardens, so if a nest on your property is located where you or a family member are likely to get stung, you may want to just leave it alone. Unfortunately, wasps often make their nests in locations that people frequent.

Stings

Despite being helpful to gardeners in some cases, wasps have a powerful and painful sting that can cause itching and swelling. One characteristic of wasps that makes them especially dangerous is that they often attack an individual in swarms. A person who accidentally disturbs a nest may find themselves covered in stings, which can cause so much venom to enter the victim's system that they need medical attention. Also, some people are allergic to wasp stings, so a sting or multiple stings could be life-threatening to them.

Prevention

Because the stings can be dangerous in some instances, you want to prevent wasps from making nests around your house or anywhere on your property where people are active. Don't leave any food scraps lying around outside or in your garage, as this will attract insects. Make sure your trash can is well covered. If you have a compost bin, seal it securely. Also, patch up any cracks in your home's exterior so wasps cannot enter your home or garage.

Elimination

Even if you take steps to prevent wasps from building a nest in an undesirable spot on your property, there is no guarantee that they won't find a way to do so in spite of your best efforts. If you find a nest around your house or another area where you and your family are in danger of being stung, it's time to eliminate the nest. Doing the job yourself is not a good option because the danger of receiving multiple stings is always present.

Contact a pest control service to learn more.

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