Summer is a popular season for wasps due to warmer temperatures that accelerate the developmental stages of wasps, allowing their populations to increase rapidly. The availability of abundant food sources such as nectar, fruit, and insects is at its peak during this season, attracting different wasps in Lakewood to outdoor locations and residences. A wasp problem can quickly ruin summer fun.
Our Lakewood pest control experts at Bugaboo have compiled a comprehensive Wasp Prevention 101 guide below that explores effective steps that you can take to stop wasps from invading your property.
Distinctive Wasp Characteristics: How To Identify Wasps
Wasps typically have slender bodies with a narrow waist, giving them an hourglass shape, and they often grow up to an inch. Wasps have smooth and shiny bodies without dense hairs. Their wings are longer and more transparent than fuzzy bees, and they have noticeably elongated antennae.
These are the most common types of wasps you’ll identify in Lakewood:
- Yellow jackets are highly social insects that form large colonies, with faces and heads displaying a combination of black and yellow colors. Their bodies feature a distinctive pattern of clear yellow-and-black stripes.
- Hornets come in various colors ranging from black and white to brownish-red. These predatory insects primarily prey on other insects, and when provoked or endangered, they can exhibit aggressive behavior.
- Carpenter bees are solitary, stinging insects. They possess smooth and shiny all-black abdomens with a relatively larger size. Adult carpenter bees commonly display black and yellow coloring.
Wasps come in a variety of colors, including black, yellow, and metallic blue. So, you may see differences in the species.
Wasp Infestations: Potential Health Risks
Being stung by a wasp or multiple wasps can pose potential health risks. For those allergic to wasp venom, stings can lead to severe allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, which is a life-threatening condition. Symptoms of an allergic reaction may include difficulty breathing, swelling, hives, dizziness, and a rapid heartbeat.
Even for individuals who are not allergic, wasp stings can still be painful and cause localized reactions such as swelling, redness, and itching.
In extreme cases, multiple wasp stings or being stung in sensitive areas like the mouth or throat can result in serious health issues requiring immediate medical attention.
Expert Wasp Extermination: Swift And Effective Solutions
No one should touch a wasp nest or attempt DIY removal since getting close to the nest to see if it’s empty can risk an individual getting stung multiple times. Wasps can be unpredictable, and disturbing them can lead to aggressive behavior. Professional pest control is the best approach when it comes to expert wasp extermination and swift, effective solutions.
Strategies For Wasp Prevention: Effective Tips And Tricks
Wasp control in Lakewood is necessary to maintain a safe and pest-free environment. Here are a few effective wasp control DIY tips to keep wasps away:
- Wasps love sweet and protein-based foods, so clean up spills, properly store garbage, and secure outdoor food and drinks to reduce enticing food sources for them.
- Inspect your property for gaps or other openings that may serve as unintended entry points for wasps. Seal them using caulk or weatherstripping to prevent their easy entrance into your home.
- Wasps often build nests in shrubs or trees, so regularly trim back vegetation and ensure branches and foliage do not come into contact with your home, reducing potential nesting spots.
Prevention is an effective approach to keeping wasps at bay, but investing in professional home pest control services is the most effective method to manage the wasp population.
Our Lakewood pest control experts at Bugaboo, a family-owned company, highly value our community. We handle all types of wasps in Lakewood. Our comprehensive approach to pest control for wasps and hornets involves inspecting your property and creating a personalized plan to address your unique wasp issue. Contact us today.
