When wasps sting, pain follows. This is a simple truth in life. Most people find this out at an early age. Depending on your first experience with these scary-looking bugs, you might still be afraid of what they can do. For most of us, we haven’t been stung in years and yet we still flinch and duck when wasps fly overhead. To help you evaluate the risk these pests pose, here are a few facts to consider along with how to keep your property safe from wasps.
Wasps Aren’t Always Aggressive
Most people have had a negative experience with wasps when they were younger. Often these negative experiences lead to fear and a general aversion to stinging insects. Even now as adults, many still fear these pests and do everything in their power to actively avoid them. The question is, are wasps as dangerous as we think? Not usually. Many species of wasps such as mud daubers and paper wasps are non-confrontational and will only sting if they feel directly threatened. Yellow jackets, on the other hand, are known for being more aggressive and will actively sting people who wander too close to their nests.
Not All Wasp Stings Hurt The Same
There are three common types of wasps that live in Colorado Springs. We have paper wasps, hornets, and yellow jackets. Of these three stinging insects, which do you think has the most painful stings? It has to be between hornets and yellow jackets, right? Hornets are the largest and yellow jackets are the most aggressive. The truth is, that paper wasps have the most painful stings, according to the Schmidt pain index. They are rated three out of four whereas hornets and yellow jackets are at a two.
Wasps Are More Dangerous To Certain Individuals
All wasps have the potential to hurt people. This does not mean, however, that wasps are dangerous to everyone. On average it takes one sting to hurt and over one hundred to pose any threat to human life. Keeping this in mind, for some people it only takes one sting for them to fear for their life. These individuals have allergies to insect venom and run the risk of going into anaphylactic shock if they are stung. If you have never been stung by a wasp and don’t know your risk, we highly recommend talking to your doctor.
How To Keep Wasps Off Your Property
Now that you know why you don’t want wasps around your property, let’s discuss some simple strategies to keep these pests away. Here are a few places our experts recommend you start.
- When eating outside, keep foods and beverages covered as much as possible.
- Clean up thoroughly after outdoor gatherings.
- Avoid feeding your pets outdoors.
- Seal up gaps and cracks in your home’s exterior foundation, using a caulking gun.
- Knockdown wasps' nests that are smaller than a golf ball. Do this during the day.
- Consider removing budding plants and flowers from your yard.
Make sure your home’s window and door screens are in good condition.
What To Do When Wasps Invade
Finding a wasps' nest on your property is not a fun experience. Even less fun is trying to handle it on your own and getting stung. To have wasps' nests removed from your yard without having to suffer bodily harm, hire the experts at Beeline Pest Control. We equip our team with advanced pest control technology and safety equipment so that they can handle dangerous pests like wasps.
Call us today to schedule a service visit for your Colorado Springs home.