Yellow jackets, paper wasps, & other stinging insects are still active
Labor Day has come and gone and yet stinging insect activity remains high in Paramus, Long Hill, and New Providence as well as throughout New Jersey. In fact, yellow jackets, paper wasps, hornets, and other types of stinging insects common to the Garden State will continue to have a significant presence around (and even inside) homes for several more weeks.
Why are stinging insects more of a problem right now?
While stinging insects become active in the spring, it’s not until the late summer and early fall that New Jersey residents really start to notice them and there’s a good explanation for that. Actually, there’s a couple reasons why homeowners are encountering stinging insects more frequently and more alarmingly right now.
Population explosion
By the time early September arrives stinging insect nests are practically bursting at the seams because they’ve spent all spring and summer building their nests and growing their colonies. Simply put, mature nests have much higher populations of stinging insects than earlier in the summer and the larger the nest, the more likely you are to run into foraging stingers who are easily provoked and given to stinging without much cause (at least, that’s our opinion).
Food and diet changes
As fall approaches flowers, insects, and other natural food sources that sustained stinging insects during the previous months are dwindling. That means stinging insects are hungry – you might even say “hangry” which leads to more aggressive than normal behavior. What’s more their actual dietary requirements change, instead of proteins these insects need carbs. Carbs like the ones you can find at most BBQs, picnics, and other outdoor gatherings. In their quest to find energy boosting, sugary foods there is a very good chance that they will sting if you get in their way.
How to avoid being stung by yellow jackets and other stinging insects
As we mentioned above, stinging insect activity will remain high for several more weeks but there is light at the end of the tunnel. The cold weather is coming and when it becomes consistently cooler, stinging insects will disappear until next year. In the meantime, here are a few tips on how to avoid being stung:
Keep an eye out for nests
Depending on the type of stinging insect activity on your property, you are likely to find nests up high (in the eaves) and down low (in a hole in the ground) and everywhere in between. As you go about preparing your home and yard for winter or just mowing your lawn, be on the lookout and avoid nests.
Make sure your home is sealed up tight
If they find a way inside, stinging insects and other pests for that matter, will infest your home. Our New Jersey pest control specialists have uncovered nests in wall voids and other areas INSIDE homes. In fact, the picture above is a paper wasp nest we found inside of a wall in a home in Millburn just in the last couple of weeks.
Keep a lid on your dishes
When entertaining outdoors, keep your dishes and drinks covered whenever possible. An open can of soda or a fruit salad on the table will attract stinging insects to your party.
What to do if you find a stinging insect nest in, on or near your home
If you discover a wasp nest inside your home or find another stinging insect nest on or near your home, contact Arrow Pest Control right away. Providing effective stinging insect control throughout our 10-county service area, our fully licensed and highly trained team is ready to help you eliminate that threat posed by wasps, hornets and other stinging pests. In addition to our stinging insect control services, we also offer year-round home pest control plans that guard against stinging insects and more than 30 common house-infesting pests.
Home Protection Program
Service consists of the elimination of your current pest or rodent problem, complemented by both interior and exterior year-round protection of your home, which is inclusive of three seasonal visits. The program covers your entire property including attics, mailboxes, playsets, sheds, and fences.
Pests targeted with Arrow’s Home Protection Plan services include ants (excluding carpenter ants, pharaoh ants and acrobatic), bees, boxelder bugs, carpenter bees, carpet beetles, centipedes, cicada killers, clover mites, crickets, digger bees, earwigs, fabric & paper pests, fleas (inside only), ground beetles, hornets, mice, pillbugs, millipedes, rats, roaches, silverfish, sowbugs, spiders, springtails, stored product pests, and wasps.
*If you have a pool house that requires service, pricing would increase based upon the size of the structure.
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