What Should I Do if I Have Wasps and Hornets in My Yard?

As summer time swiftly approaches, picnics and outdoor barbecues are a great way to enjoy the lovely weather. But as you dine outdoors, wasps and hornets will start to get closer to you and your family as they try to get a taste of some of the sweets. As the proximity of you and these stinging insects closes in, the likelihood of you suffering a nasty sting increases. If you have identified a wasp or hornet’s nest in your yard, getting rid of it is key to keeping these flying insects away from you and your family.

Identify which kind of wasp is in your yard

There are several different kinds of wasps and all have slightly different temperaments and build different types of nests. Hornets, like the bald faced hornet, are actually a type of wasp, as are yellow jackets,  and cicada killer wasps. Knowing what type of wasp is buzzing around your property is crucial in developing a plan of eradicating the wasps from your yard. You can either identify the wasp by its appearance or by its nest. A few wasps to look out for are:

Bald faced hornets: This black and white wasp can be very aggressive to anything that tries to invade its nest. It has a mostly white face, black thorax and legs, and black and white striped abdomen. Their nest is a series of layered combs of hexagons and is enveloped in a thin,gray, papery fiber. It is best to have a professional pest control technician remove the hornet’s nest if it is in a high traffic area around your home to avoid anyone from being stung. Bald faced hornets can have over 700 worker hornets in a single nest.

Yellow jackets: These stinging insects may resemble bee markings with a predominantly yellow body and black stripes across its abdomen but they have a wasp’s pinched waist. Yellow jackets often nest in the ground, which makes it difficult to avoid their nests since you are often unable to notice it until you get too close.

Cicada killer wasps: These black and yellow striped insects can be distinguished from a bee because of its rusted color wings and head. These wasps do not live in large nests but they can still leave a painful sting. They live in the ground and kill cicadas, hence the name.

Call a professional

Once you identify which kind of wasps you have, you can then call a professional to get rid of the nest. Stinging insects can be beneficial to your yard because they get rid of a number of other insect pests. But if they are in a location that you and your family frequent, you could get stung. Calling a professional will ensure the nest is eradicated and no one in your family gets stung.

If you are in Chester County and need help getting rid of a colony of wasps, give ECPC a call today.