When you’re trying to enjoy your home and yard, finding a stinging insect flying around can be terrifying. This experience can leave you scrambling away and trying to avoid being stung, and some stinging insects are more terrifying than others. Yellow jackets are one species in particular that no one wants to encounter in their Woodlands yard, so it’s important to know how you can prevent them from coming around.
What Are Yellow Jackets?
Yellow jackets are a subspecies of wasp. Unlike bees, they are not covered in fur, and they are much thinner in body shape than bees are, too. They have a thin “waist” that attaches their thorax and abdomen. They are usually yellow with black stripes.
How Worried Should You Be About Yellow Jackets?
Yellow jackets do play a role in the environment, which many people don’t realize. Just like bees, they can pollinate plants and play an important role in the production of food for many species, including humans. They also help control species of other smaller insects. However, yellow jackets aren’t good to have around your property.
They are capable of stinging and injecting venom, and they can actually do this repeatedly. This means yellow jackets can be a health concern even for people who aren’t allergic. While it’s rare, being stung by a yellow jacket can lead to severe complications and even hospitalization or death. Because of this, it’s always best to be cautious around these pests and try to avoid them.
How Can You Remove Yellow Jackets?
Since yellow jackets are so dangerous, it’s not a good idea at all to try to eradicate them on your own. While some people attempt to use DIY methods to remove nests, this is when you are most likely to be stung, which can be exceptionally dangerous.
Instead, let the experts at All-Safe Pest & Termite help you. Our pest control plans include the removal of yellow jackets and other stinging insects, so you don’t have to worry about the health risks they bring with them anymore.
Some Yellow Jacket Prevention Tips
The best ways to prevent yellow jackets from coming around include working with pest control professionals and removing factors around your yard that attract them. Here are some steps you can take:
- Remove standing water from your property as wasps are often attracted to water sources. Also, ensure that gutters are kept cleaned and rainwater can drain.
- Clean up food right away if you eat outside, as spills and crumbs can attract yellow jackets and other wasps.
- Regularly trim shrubs, bushes, and trees. Then, make sure not to overwater plants and keep flowering kinds of vegetation to a minimum.
- Store pet food inside.
- Make sure that hot tubs and pools are kept clean with cycled water. Also, keep any water features such as fountains or ponds cleaned often.
And, to keep all stinging insects from invading your property, give All-Safe Pest & Termite a call today. We offer year-round protection from yellow jackets and other dangerous species, and we can also offer a quote or book your inspection right away.