Of all of the pests that show up in the warmer months, I think that wasps are among the ones that I hate the most. They’re airborne which means that you don’t have to be sitting still for them to attack you and if you unknowingly get too close to their nest, they let you know that they’re unhappy about it in the harshest way.
I have a customer in the Riverchase/Hoover area that I was servicing for wasps a few years ago. He told me that there were red wasps attacking him as he walked out his back door onto his deck. When I went to inspect, I wasn’t ready to confront them when I walked up on the back deck but they sure were ready for me.
As I approached the top step, I noticed a red wasp on point guarding the nest. All of a sudden, he had swooped down and stung me on top of the head before I know what hit me. If you’ve ever noticed, a red wasp is larger in size that your common brown paper wasps in Alabama.
Wasps often feed off of nectar and other insects
They’re also more aggressive and have a nastier sting. I learned not to be so complacent that day even though I’ve been in the pest control business for many years. I’m not skiddish of wasp nests, but I should have been more cautious.
If you’ve been stung yourself, you probably know how unpleasant it is. Most homeowners freak out when they see a wasp nest anywhere near their home. The question is: Should you be concerned about a wasp nest nearby?
Wasps prefer to build nests under the eaves of your home, under decks and in other areas where they’re protected from the rain. Unfortunately, it’s sometimes in close proximity to where you enter and exit your home.
Be cautious in the summer months and inspect areas around your home where you’ve known them to be in the past including around your doors, including garage doors, under your porch/deck, eaves of your home and don’t forget about out buildings and sheds.
If your home is one story or higher and you notice them swarming very high where you’re standing, it’s not likely they’ll be a threat because they tend to be aggressive if you come near their nest. It’s also common for them to build nests in the soffit vents where they’re inaccessible. Never try to treat or remove an active wasp nest in an area where it is difficult if you need to retreat in a hurry such as in an attic or on a ladder.
Most aerosol wasp sprays are sufficient to control wasp nests and can be picked up at most discount/grocery stores. So the next time you see a wasp nest adjacent to your home, assess if it’s too close for comfort. If it isn’t, it may be fine just to leave it alone.
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