Few things will keep a person from leaving their home to go to work. One thing we can think of that regularly keeps people indoors is wasps. All it takes is one of these pests buzzing around a front door to cause most individuals hesitation in leaving the safety of their home. If you have recently started to notice wasps buzzing around your Houston property, do not fear. There are ways to handle infestations of these pests. Here are some great places to start.
Which Wasps Live In Houston?
Four main species of wasps live in the Houston area. We have bald-faced hornets, mud daubers, southern yellow jackets, and paper wasps. Of these four pests, paper wasps have the most painful stings, southern yellow jackets are the most aggressive, bald-faced hornets are the largest, and mud daubers are the most passive.
Where Wasps Build Their Nests
Different species of wasps build their nests in different locations. Paper wasps and yellow jackets build large nests made out of chewed-up paper pulp on the sides of buildings, in trees, and occasionally underground inside burrows and holes. Bald-faced hornets similarly make their nests but usually only build off the branches of trees and large, tree-like shrubs. Finally, mud daubers are solitary insects that build their small, tube-shaped homes out of the mud. You might find these mud huts on the sides of your home, one next to another like apartments.
The Reason Wasps Invade Properties
Wasps build their nests around areas that provide them access to easy food. If you didn’t know, a wasp’s diet consists of insects, dead animals, other proteins, and sweet substances like plant nectar, honeydew, and human-made sweets. Things that might attract these pests to your property include often hosting outdoor gatherings, feeding your pets outdoors, doing insect activity in your yard, and producing fruits and berries.
When To Knock Down Wasp Nests
Wasps have to start somewhere when it comes to building a nest. One way to stop these pests before they settle on your property is to knock down newly constructed nests before they have a chance to grow. An excellent way to gauge when a nest is too large to eliminate is if it is larger than a baseball or has an outer layer that doesn’t allow you to see inside. Something to note with this is to act during the day when wasps are most likely to be away from home, gathering food.
How To Prevent Wasps
There are several good ways to deter wasps from settling in on your property. Here are some prevention tips our experts recommend you try.
- Address moisture issues around your yard.
- Fill in holes and burrows and deter ground pests like gophers.
- Install a fence around your yard and garden.
- Clean up thoroughly after outdoor gatherings.
- Avoid feeding your pets outdoors.
- Clean up fruits and berries that drop into your yard.
The Only Safe Way To Handle A Wasp Nest
Once a wasp nest grows too large, trying to eliminate it on your own would be risky for your health and safety. To eliminate wasp nests from your property while avoiding injury, let an expert help out. Our All-Safe Pest & Termite team has the high-quality safety equipment, training, and advanced stinging insect control equipment needed to handle wasp infestations of all sizes. All you have to do is let us know you need help. Contact our team today to schedule your Houston home for an emergency service visit.