Nothing ruins a picnic or other outdoor activities quicker than the appearance of wasps. These pests are common throughout Utah and can keep you from enjoying your porch, yard or other areas around your home throughout the summer months. In addition to the annoying sound of their buzzing, a wasp sting can put your health at risk. At Elevate Pest Control, our Utah wasp control professionals can help protect you and your loved ones against this potentially dangerous problem. One of the first steps is to identify the root cause and eliminate any wasp nests that are on or near your property.
The Problem With Wasp Nests In Utah
Wasps are a common problem in Utah and can invade various areas around your home or yard, increasing your risk of dangerous wasp stings. For many people, the venom of a wasp sting can cause a serious allergic reaction. It can even put the victim into anaphylactic shock. Symptoms include:
- Swelling at the site of the sting or in the mouth, face, and throat;
- Hives and severe itching;
- Nausea and vomiting;
- Drop in blood pressure, resulting in lightheadedness or dizziness;
- Stomach cramps and digestive disorders;
- Difficulty breathing;
- Loss of consciousness.
Part of the problem with wasps is that, unlike bees, they are capable of stinging multiple times. Even someone who is not allergic to a single wasp sting can have a severe reaction if they stumble upon a hive. Wasps can also impact pets and other visitors to your yard, such as nesting birds. While a bird may actually feed on a single wasp, they take precautions to stay away from a hive or nest.
Where Do Wasps Prefer to Build Their Nests?
There are a variety of different species of wasps that can be found in Utah over the summer months. Hornets and yellow jackets are also included in this category of stinging pests. Depending on the type, they may prefer to build their nests near the ground around the foundation of your home and on your roof or in cracks in the siding. They may also be located on porches, garages, and sheds, in planters and pots throughout your yard, or in abandoned bird feeders and trees throughout your property.
You can often tell the location of a wasp nest by listening for buzzing and by watching their flight patterns. Wasps do leave the nest at night but are most likely to be seen flying around during the day. When looking for a nest, it is important to use extreme caution as disturbing it in any way could result in multiple wasp stings. Here are common types of wasp nests you are likely to encounter around your home:
- Mud daubers: As their name implies, this type of wasp builds their home using mud or clay. They are often tubular shaped and appear in cracks in masonry or stone.
- Paper wasps: These build papery, umbrella-shaped nests in sheltered locations, such as around the eaves of your home or in pipes. They may even build a new nest on top of an old one and can get quite large in size.
- Yellow jackets or hornets: These also build paper type nests, which can be found within building cavities, wood piles, and tree branches or stumps.
Getting Rid of Wasps and Their Nests
Similar to bees, wasp nests revolve around a queen, whose basic purpose is to breed and grow the colony. However, contrary to the popular myth, killing the queen does not eliminate the entire nests. Many wasp nests have multiple queens, which allow them to continue to thrive.
Another common myth is that an old, abandoned nest will act as a deterrent to other wasps. Nothing could be further from the truth. The old nest contains valuable building materials for these pests, which can be recycled and used in building a new wasp nest. The only sure way to eliminate a wasp problem around your home is to find and completely get rid of the nest.
Contact Our Local Pest Control Experts
At Elevate Pest Control, we can safely and effectively eliminate all signs of wasps around your home and property. To schedule a free consultation, call or contact our Utah pest control professionals online today.