Having wasps on your property can make spending time outdoors difficult. Cookouts and family meals can be rudely interrupted by hungry wasps, but swatting them away comes with the risk of getting a painful sting. These stinging insects can help control the pest population on your property and will even pollinate plants. However, wasps can be dangerous to children, pets, and people with wasp sting allergies. If you want to enjoy your time outdoors in the warm weather, you should know how to keep wasps off of your Southern Maine property.
About Wasps
Wasps are some of the most diverse and remarkable insects on the planet, appearing in a variety of odd shapes and brilliant colors. Most species of wasps are solitary hunters, but like their cousins the bees, some wasps live in social colonies with many members. Wasps prey on smaller insects, but will also indulge in sweet nectar depending on the time of year.
Most of all, wasps are known for their awful sting. There are a few types of wasps in Maine that you should know about.
Yellowjackets: Yellowjackets average 1/2 inch in length and can be recognized by their black and yellow stripes as well as their cinched waist. They are social and build large nests with thousands of members.
Paper wasps: There are several species classified as paper wasps, but what they have in common is their paper-like nests that hang like umbrellas. Paper wasps can be between 5/8 to 3/4 inch in length and color varies from species to species.
Bald-faced hornets: Bald-faced hornets resemble yellowjackets, but have a black and white coloration. They are known for building massive nests that are completely enclosed, unlike other wasp species with open nests.
What Attracts Wasps?
There are a few common factors that could attract wasps to your property. Addressing these issues can have an impact on the presence of wasps on your property:
- Flowering plants: Fruit-bearing trees, flowers, and sweet-smelling plants are all attractive to wasps. As cold weather approaches, wasps often gorge themselves on sugary food, and flowering plants can draw them in.
- Prey insects: If there is an abundance of small prey insects on your property, wasps will take advantage of it. Overgrown or neglected yards are often more likely to harbor the insects that wasps feed on.
- Human food: Wasps will harvest meat from burger patties and hot dogs to feed to their young. They are also likely to go after soft drinks, fruit juice, and beer for a sweet treat.
The good news is, there are several things you can do to keep wasps from nesting or hunting on your property:
- Dispose of trash properly. Don’t let food waste sit out in open garbage bins. Dispose of your trash in bins with tight-fitting lids to protect against wasps. Don’t leave food or sugary drinks unattended when outdoors.
- Try some gardening. While many flowering plants attract wasps, there are other plants that repel them. Try planting marigolds, wormwood, basil, or lemongrass to keep wasps away.
- Do some repairs. Check your property for damaged siding or panels where wasps can build their nests. Patch any tears in screen windows or doors to keep wasps out. Inspect your yard for any holes in the ground where wasps may nests and fill them in as needed.
- Don’t forget yard work. Keeping a tidy lawn can reduce the presence of prey insects that wasps feed on. Maintaining your yard can get rid of the places where these prey insects hide and congregate.
The best thing you can do to keep wasps off your southern Maine property is to get in touch with the experts at Big Blue Bug Solutions. Our experienced technicians will work with you to find a treatment plan that fits your needs. We will remove dangerous wasp nests on your property and treat the insects they prey on. If your wasps come back, so we will, free of charge. Contact us today for your complimentary inspection.