In our Elizabeth City service area, we have two wasps that are very common. It is likely that you know what they are. Yellowjackets and paper wasps are infamous. When these wasps decide to make your property their home, they can present a serious stinging hazard for you and your family. This is because they have a nest protection instinct, and they will swarm if they feel their nests are threatened. Let's take a look at seven quick tips to help keep wasps away and prevent them from creating a nest in your yard or near your home.
Remove Standing Water
Wasps in Elizabeth City don't just drink nectar. They'll also drink water straight from a puddle or container. Water is one of the building blocks of life. Removing potential "drinking holes" from your property can make your yard resistant to wasps. Keep in mind that many items can become containers for rainwater. Reduce yard clutter, pick up toys, clean your gutters, etc.
Protect Trash
Wasps don't just eat sweets; they also eat meats. You would be amazed at how many food sources a wasp can find inside a bag of trash. When you protect exterior trash, you keep smells in and wasps out. Put your trash in covered receptacles and routinely clean your receptacles to reduce the scent of garbage.
Reduce Moisture
This might seem redundant since we talked about standing water, but moisture does more than giving wasps a drink. It provides an ideal environment for many bugs. If you're not aware, wasps eat bugs. The bugs in your yard are a great source of protein. Control moisture by removing unnecessary vegetation, trimming tree canopy, raking leaves, etc.
Keep Your Plants Healthy
When the plants in your landscaping get unhealthy, they can attract aphids. When they do, those aphids are going to produce honeydew. Wasps love honeydew as much as they love nectar. The more honeydew you have on your plants, the more likely you are to have wasps establish a nest.
Reduce Bright Primary Colors
Colors that remind wasps of flowers will attract them to your yard. If you have lots of wasp activity around bright-colored playground equipment, it might be a good idea to paint that equipment. This is especially true of playground items that are made of wood.
Address Ground Holes
Yellowjackets prefer to create ground nests. If you have holes in your yard, these pests could establish a nest. Nests that are created in the ground present a unique threat because the vibration of a lawnmower can cause a swarm to emerge. These swarms happen quickly and come out of nowhere. Take time to fill in any holes in your yard and have burrowing animals dealt with quickly, animals such as groundhogs, ground squirrels, and gophers.
Seal Entry Points
Yellowjackets and paper wasps can get into the voids of a home, garage, shed, barn, or outbuilding. When they do, they can create a nest inside the walls. Do a detailed inspection of your exteriors and fill in any gaps, cracks, or holes that you find. This will also help to keep out other pests that squeeze into your home, like stink bugs, box elder bugs, Asian lady beetles, cockroaches, silverfish, and more.
Don't Do It Alone
Remember that the service team at Albemarle Termite & Pest Control is always standing by to assist you with any pest problems that arise. We also provide ongoing residential pest control programs that help with early detection of wasps and other pest threats. If you have questions, or you'd like to schedule a service, reach out to us at any time. We're standing by to help.