How to Get Rid of Wasps

Identifying Wasps 

The narrow-waisted and naturally-aggressive insect comes from the order Hymenoptera and suborder Apocrita, with size up to 1.5 inches, and brownish with yellow or reddish markings or stripes on the abdomen in color.

Some species are metallic blue and bright red in color. Hornets and Yellowjackets are the most commonly known wasps under the subgroup Social, the colony-builders.

While the other subgroup which is the largest is called Solitary, which are the cicada killers and the striking tarantula hawks. 

There are 30,000 identified species in the world, they create a buzzing sound in a group and use painful stings when attacked, and the same with bees (only differ in pointed lower abdomen for wasps).

They usually build their nests from wood fibers scraped using their hard mandibles and chewed them into pulp to create a papery nest as their dwelling place.

Wasps only feed on sugar like nectar, fallen fruits, and some meat from dead insects, both the social and solitary wasps.

All female wasps have venom injected into their victims once stung. (Read: Safe Pest Control)

Habitats

Wasps are usually found in gardens, woodlands, and fields in urban areas and some forests. They live in their built nests made up of paper material. Different types of nests can be identified by the following visible characteristics; a football-shape with smooth walls around the nest is made or built by the Hornets, while the Paper wasps usually build an umbrella shape and open with hexagonal cells, less than 100 paper wasps stay inside. And when you spot yellow jacket wasps going back and forth inside, thousands of wasps usually live here, this is obviously made by Yellow jacket wasps. (Related: How To Get Rid Of Waps)

Danger and Damages 

 Wasps are considered pests when their nests are built close to any residential or commercial premises, in their roof areas, and started to sting humans when they come near to their nests during summer. They sting people as part of their defensive mechanism especially when people disturbed their paper abodes.

These stings are very painful; children may develop very itchy rashes on their skin and in some cases may suffer from “anaphylactic shock”. This is a serious allergic reaction and may cause death. The victim may feel shortness of breath, vomiting, itchy rashes, throat or tongue swelling, and low blood pressure as some of the symptoms. Wasps are present and already infested your home or business premises when you see wasps nests in different areas.                           ( Related: How To Get Rid Of Carpet Beetles)

Wasps’ Prevention Guides

There are many ways to avoid wasps in your home or business premises, here are some TIPS,  

1. Clean and sanitize outdoor trash containers including surrounding areas every day or once full with garbage, trash containers should always be emptied especially during warm weather. Wasps will come near you when they see any sweet left-over food or liquids in your trash containers. 
2. Use double garbage bags to avoid spills and leaks, ensure to seal the garbage bags tightly, and then place them on the dumpsite carefully so the bags won’t break or rip. 
3. Ensure to clean and arrange the garbage in the dumpsite near your home or workplace, and keep this whole area clean all the time. 
4. If spillage of food and liquids is already spread all over the dumpsite, clean up immediately before the wasps find out those foods and call up other wasps groups. Always ensure that no attractive food waiting in the area. Other pests like rodents or other insects may also be avoided if this can be practiced regularly.
5. You may also use wasp or yellow jacket wasp traps if you see their presence already, but be mindful of placing them as far away as possible from your doors or people passing areas.
6. When you see wasp nests in the area, do not disturb them, and do not try to remove them by yourself since this is a complex process, you should call up a pest control expert for professional assistance.   (Read: How To Get Rid Of Silverfish)