One of the nice things about living in New England is getting a break each winter from some of the more unpleasant pests that bug us all summer. Stinging insects, like yellow jackets, wasps, and hornets, die off each winter, which means we have an opportunity each spring to prevent these pests from colonizing on our property. What follows are the steps needed to prevent stinging insects this spring.
To understand how to prevent stinging insects from invading your property this spring, it’s important to understand the life cycles of these insects. Each winter the colonies of yellow jackets, wasps, and hornets die off except for one member: a queen. The queen will hibernate through the winter, then, when spring arrives, she’ll look around for a new place to build a nest. As she builds her nest, she’ll lay one egg in each chamber. The eggs take about a month to hatch and grow into adult workers. Once the initial colony is established, the nest and colony will continue to grow throughout the summer.
Due to this process, the best time of year to prevent stinging insects from gaining ground on your property is during the month in the spring when the queen is all alone. Here are the steps to take.
- Take frequent walks around your property to look for signs of nests being built. If you find a partially built nest or the queen herself, you can take care of them before they become a problem.
- Prevent the queen from building a nest in areas that you don’t want them. This can involve several things:
- Seal up all cracks and holes along your siding so stinging insects can’t get into the wall voids in your home to build their nest.
- Cover downspouts, vents, and other openings with wire mesh to prevent nest-building within them.
- Fill holes in the ground to prevent ground hornet nests.
Make your property uninviting to stinging insects. This includes:
- Removing outdoor food sources.
- Not planting too many flowering plants around your property.
- Planting wormwood plants, which are thought to repel yellow jackets.
If your prevention steps don’t work or they aren’t taken in time to prevent a stinging insect problem in or around your home, call the professional pest control experts at Big Blue Bug Solutions. We can effectively remove your stinging insect problem, while allowing you to remain safe from the painful, and sometimes dangerous, stings they can deliver.
If you need us to help with your stinging insect problem, we’re here to help! Give us a call to learn more about our services.