Getting Rid Of Wasps In North Carolina

Well, here comes the day of the picnic, and for all the planning and preparations that you had,  there was one thing you were not able to foresee: the uninvited, flying insects. To be specific, these are the wasps!

Wasps can really take away the fun in any outdoor activities. They can ruin picnics. And if you are unfortunate enough, they can sting you. Wasps even have venom that some people may be allergic to. Just one sting can be deadly. For this reason, getting rid of them when they invade your territory might be necessary, and their nests were taken away for your safety and that of your family. You may want to know more about getting rid of wasps, and in this article, we will tell you how.

Wasps can be terribly frightening for many people; wasps can sting so many fear them - including yours truly. I may have outgrown my fear of many insects, which includes spiders and roaches, but somehow my fear of wasps has never subsided. Probably because their stings are reputed to be very painful and are highly territorial. That is why just with their presence alone, they can immediately ruin one’s outdoor picnic or outdoor barbecue party.

First things first, let us know more about what we are facing. Wasps are not easy opponents that we can breeze through. We must be patient.  Knowing your enemy is the first thing to do in any battle.  

Description Of Wasps

There are more or less 30,000 species of wasps. Though they are beneficial insects because of all the assistance they give to Mother Nature, they become nuisance pests when they invade human territories.  

Wasps vary in color: they can be yellow, brown, and blue. In terms of size, the largest can go as long as 2 inches in length. The smallest is only .0055 inches in length. This wasp, the chalcid wasps, is a solitary wasp and is actually the smallest insect in the world.

Like all insects, wasps have a hard exoskeleton covering their 3 main body parts. The 3 body parts are the head, mesosoma, and metasoma. Attached to their heads are 2 jointed antennae and strong jaws. They have compound eyes plus several other simple eyes known as ocelli. These eyes are arranged in a triangular formation. They have slender waists. They have 6 jointed legs and four transparent wings. 

As for their diet, wasps are classified as parasitic insects during the larvae stage but feed only on nectar as adults. Many types of wasps prey on other insects. The yellow jacket wasps like “human food” and scavenge for food near human dwellings. They also scavenge for dead insects. The first meal for parasitic wasps is always the dead body of their host that the adult wasp captured prior to laying her eggs.  

People usually confuse wasps with bees, probably because they both sting and both build nests. Wasps have narrow waists and pointed lower abdomens. Bees do not have to narrow on the waists but have very robust and rounded bodies. Wasps have smooth and shiny bodies, while bees are hairy. Wasps feed on insects, while bees feed on pollen. Wasps can sting several times and can simply fly away.  As for the bees, their stingers are lodged on the skin of their victims after just one sting, causing them to die afterward.  

Social Organization  

Wasps are further divided into 2 subgroups: the social wasps and solitary wasps.  Social wasps include the yellow jacket wasps, paper wasps, and hornets. This group of wasps lives in colonies.  A single queen starts a colony all by herself. This queen was fertilized the previous year and hibernate the rest of the winter, only emerge later in the spring.  She would build a nest to lay her eggs there. When these eggs hatch, she would be the one to take care of her first batch of offspring. These offspring would eventually become her workers when they become adults.  Soon after, their numbers would increase to as much as 5,000 wasps. This cycle happens annually.  

Most of the wasps in the colony would not survive to the following year, including the queen. Only the new fertilized queens would survive the winter.

Aside from the queen, the colony is made up of female worker wasps. Their job is to defend the colony, maintain and clean the nest, care for the young, and forage for food, among other things. The colony also has drones or male wasps. The drone's sole purpose is to mate with the queen. Only a thousand species are social.

The other subgroup, the solitary wasps, do not live in colonies. There are some solitary wasps that build nests and there are some that do not.   If they do see abandoned nests, they take over and make it their own. They would rather fly alone in the search of food. Solitary wasps are further divided into three groups: the squatters, the builders, and the diggers. The squatters do not build their own nests and use only holes that are already existing.  The builders build their own nests. The diggers dig holes in the ground for their nests.

Wasps Can Be Dangerous Pests

First of all. wasps are helpful to the ecosystem. They help pin pollinating flowers and plants. They also help control pests by feeding on them. The problem starts when the wasps start to invade human space.  

Wasp sting as a form of self-defense. Wasps sting only when threatened. Simple movements like a hand gesture, walking, or even swinging of hands can be a cause for alarm to them and considered as threatening. Wasps are capable of stinging repeatedly,  their stingers remain intact when they sting, unlike with the bees. 

The sight of a wasps’ nest near your house can also be dangerous. They can also be a nuisance, invading people’s outdoor picnics, and at times ruining them.

Wasp Management

Always remember to avoid direct contact with wasps or killing them when they fly near you.  Wasps release pheromones when they are in danger, which would then alert their fellow wasps.  It is like humans sending text messages to their friends. Soon, you may find yourself swarmed by angry wasps rescuing their comrade.  Wasps are beneficial insects that can reduce the population of garden and agricultural pests like aphids, so as much as possible avoid killing them.  There are many other ways of getting rid of them without killing them. Here are some ways to get rid of wasps in your territory.  

1. Seal potential entry points by wasps in your house.  This is to prevent them from getting into the house to look for food. 

2. Put a cover on your garbage bins and trash cans to cut off their food source.  Do not leave pet food or any edible materials outdoors. Wasps forage for food in trash cans. 

3. Avoid wearing sweet-smelling or floral perfume when going outside.  Wasps are attracted to sweet scents. If they detect you wearing this, they might come near you and investigate.

4. Fill in spot holes in your yard.  Wasps may just find them as suitable living spaces in your yard.

5. Drinking soda outdoors may attract them. If you have to drink soda, use a covered drinking glass or cups.  Wasps like sweet drinks. Also, use transparent glass for you would not know whether a wasp has just flown inside your soda can and accidentally drink the wasp too.

If your wasp infestation problem is too much for you to handle, then do not fear, the company with great reviews that handle pests is ready to help.  Go-Forth Pest Control is just one phone call away.   

Go-Forth Pest Control Is Simply The Best!

Go-Forth Pest Control is a family-owned company with excellent experience in controlling pests such as wasps, roaches, flies, ants, termites, mosquitoes, poisonous spiders, bed bugs, weevils, and many others. We only use the latest and most advanced equipment available in the business. We also employ family-friendly and pet-friendly methods of extermination, so you are assured of your family’s safety. We assess your home and provide you with the best course of action suited to your needs.  

We have been in this business for 60 years, making our customers healthy and happy by getting rid of these dangerous pests for them.  You may check us on our Facebook page, or go to go-forth.com to see our products and services.  

Go-Forth Pest Control has earned the trust of residents and businesses in North Carolina for more than 50 years. Contact us today!