With the warm weather we enjoy in South Carolina, it's only natural to want to go out and play, especially as spring ushers in national pastimes and more outdoor opportunities. But pests become more active in the spring, too, and infestations of some dangerous insects can put a damper on our outdoor activities. One such pest is the paper wasp, and knowing how to prevent their nests and clear them from your property is important.
What Are Paper Wasps?
Paper wasps look a lot like regular wasps, with antenna, wings, and slender bodies with pinched waists. You can distinguish them from other wasp varieties by looking for these specific traits:
- Color: Unlike other wasps, paper wasps are dark brown and do not have stripes. However, different varieties of paper wasps can have a slight yellow or even red coloration.
- Nests: Paper wasps get their name from the fact that they build their nests with wood and sheer plant fibers. They are often called “umbrella wasps” because of the shape of their nests.
- Behavior: Paper wasps are generally a less aggressive variety of stinging insects. However, they do carry venom in their stingers which can be dangerous to those with allergies, and they will fiercely protect their nests.
Paper Wasp Pros And Cons
Having stinging insects in your yard or inside your home seems like an obvious negative. But wasps of all kinds can be good for the ecosystems they inhabit. Wasps hunt the insects that feed on crops and cause blight, so they are crucial for the success of agriculture.
But just because they can be good on the whole doesn’t mean you want wasp nests on your property. Paper wasps can cause all of the following problems:
- Stings: Like all wasps, paper wasps are territorial and will attack if provoked. Keeping away from their nests will ensure you aren’t agitating them.
- Allergic reactions: Like all stinging insects, wasps carry venom that has compounds that some people are deathly allergic to.
- Proliferation: As wasp nests grow, they produce more offspring, which in turn go on to seek out new nesting grounds. One nest can quickly turn into a full-blown infestation if not taken care of.
How To Keep Them Out
Keeping paper wasps away from your home is a good way to make sure they don’t build nests there in the first place. Consider the following when trying to prevent wasp populations:
- Yard maintenance: Wasps need safe trees and bushes to nest in. Keeping fronds and limbs trimmed back will make your vegetation less attractive to them.
- Food disposal: Keeping food covered while outside, like during picnics or barbecues, is another safe practice. Also making sure that discarded beverage containers are stored in sealed receptacles will discourage wasps from coming near.
- Window and screen maintenance: Wasps can make it inside via faulty windows or screens. Replace screens with holes in them and make sure that frames are tight-fitting so as not to leave any cracks to crawl through.
For Nest Removal And Proper Prevention: Aiken Pest Control
Removing wasp nests is not something that homeowners should take care of on their own. Since approaching the nest will spook the wasps and cause immediate retribution, only the pros are equipped to handle the task. At Aiken Pest Control, we specialize in removing wasp populations from Aiken properties quickly and safely, ensuring that we’ve addressed the whole property for nests. Our technicians can also provide regular yard inspections to make sure new nests aren’t forming, and we'll provide more helpful prevention tips to consider. Don’t let paper wasps turn your yard into a danger zone, turn to Aiken at the first signs of an infestation.