Archive: March 2016

How to Deal With Wasps

Wasp control may be required – occasionally. From for my case understand that they can be a pest, even dangerous at times. But they are beneficial insects. They do a lot of good in the world. Let pest control Caledon explain some basics about hornets and wasps to help you understand.

There are two basic types of wasps and hornets, solitary and social. As the name implies, the solitary wasps live and work alone. They rarely build nests, and since they don’t have any territory to defend, they’re not usually a problem for people. Social wasps, on the other hand, build nests and live in colonies. When they build their nests too close to people, wasp control may be called for.

All social wasps can produce a painful sting but unlike honey bees, none leave the stinger embedded. Most of these painful encounters occur when a nest is disturbed accidentally. Nearly all stings result from yellowjackets and paper wasps. To make matters worse, yellowjackets or hornets may release an alarm pheromone when injured. Other members of the colony quickly respond with even more attacks. Anyone with a known allergy to insect stings needs to especially wary.

Yellowjackets, hornets, and paper wasps all make nests of paper. To build the nests, they chew on wood to create paper. Then they use the paper to create their nests, which can be either above or below ground, depending in part upon the species. Some species may construct both types of nest.

There are three main types of social wasps: yellowjackets, paper wasps, and the baldfaced hornet, actually another type of yellowjacket. All are social insects. While most adults feed on nectar, they typically feed their young on a diet of live insects. That’s why they are considered beneficial insects.

Social wasps are crucial in controlling insect pests such as caterpillars. When they find caterpillars, they paralyze them with a sting and take them back to the nest. They place them in individual cells and deposit an egg in or on the caterpillar. The result is better control of pests in our landscapes and gardens.
The point is that the ability to sting does not necessarily make an insect a pest.

Wasps help control many different types of pests in our landscapes and agriculture. Occasionally, however, their nests are too close to people to be safe. That’s when you need to call for professional wasp removal. But in the end, it’s your call. How close are you willing to live with wasps? Let reason, not fear be your guide