How To Deal With Wasp Nests On Your Property

A few weeks ago, we got a call from a frantic mother whose son is allergic to wasps. Well, not to wasps specifically, but to their sting.

She had noticed a wasp nest on her Northern Virginia property and needed it gone ASAP, before the wasps had a chance to find her son, or before her son had a chance to find the wasps!

We were able to make it out to her home quickly and remove the nest safely and put the mother’s mind at ease.

Yes- her son could still come into contact with a wasp and still be stung, but at least it won’t be from the nest she found on her property!

These stinging insects aren’t always a serious problem for homeowners, unless they have someone in their family who is allergic to a wasp sting, or unless the wasp nest was built inside the home (or inside the walls!).

But when these insects start infringing on our personal space, they don’t make for very good house guests.

If you have a wasp nest on your property, we don’t recommend trying to eliminate it on your own. Wasps have the capability to swarm you and sting repeatedly if they feel threatened, which they may if you start approaching their nest with a large bottle of pesticide.

The best thing you can do is avoid the nest and call in the pest control professionals to take care of the nest for you. But there are a few things you can do in the meantime:

⭐ If dining outdoors, keep in mind that sweet food and drinks will attract hungry wasps. As summer wears on, the wasps will get hungrier and hungrier, especially as their colonies grow. Your food looks just as tasty to wasps as is it does to you, so it’s wise to keep it under wraps.

⭐ Trash cans can also attract hungry wasps. Keep a tight fitting lid on trash cans and don’t leave trash outdoors simply tied up in a plastic bag- this won’t be enough to keep wasps out of it.

⭐ Avoid wearing brightly colored clothes or floral scented perfumes or lotions when spending time outdoors. Bright colors and flowery scents can attract wasps in the same way that your food will.

⭐ If a wasp starts to buzz around you, don’t start slapping at it or act erratically. This can alarm the wasp and put it on the defense, which can cause it to sting you.

⭐ If you should get stung by a wasp, keep a close eye on it! Some people may not realize they have an allergy to the sting of stinging insects, so if there is unusual swelling, trouble breathing or what seems to be an allergic reaction, contact emergency medical assistance immediately!

Although wasps can be a problem on your property when they nest inside your home or threaten your family, these are actually quite beneficial insects.

They are known for eating pest insects and have even been deployed by the agricultural industry into farms and orchards to eliminate pests that are eating the harvest.

So although they can be helpful, they can also be problematic, as they were for the mother we recently helped with the son that’s allergic to wasp stings.

If you are dealing with a wasp problem on your property and you feel like they are starting to invade your space, please contact a pest control professional to help you get rid of these insects and their nest without causing problems for you or your family members.

Serving Arlington, Fairfax and Northern Virginia, American Pest is here to help with professional wasp nest removal and stinging insect control. Contact us today!