There is nothing fun about being surrounded by dozens of angry wasps. Yet this is an all-too-common occurrence in East Texas. Why? Because many homeowners don’t understand what attracts wasps to their yards. While it is common knowledge that flowers lure wasps onto our properties, there are many other attractants that get overlooked. Let’s take a look at a few mistakes homeowners make that can lead to a run-in with an angry swarm.
Sweets
Wasps can’t usually tell the difference between the fragrance of a flower and other sweet fragrances. Homeowners who have sweet smells emanating from open windows can attract unwanted attention from wasps. Perfumes and colognes can lure these insects in too. Reduce sweet smells to make your property less interesting.
Liquids
Some homeowners are aware that leaving a cup full of juice or some other sweet liquid outside on the deck or near the pool can draw stinging insects in but many don’t consider that empty soda cans do this as well. If you have a pile of empty cans in your garage, you could get unwanted attention. Cover trash and recyclables to keep wasps away.
Meats
Are you aware that wasps eat meats as well as sweets? Some homeowners aren’t. While they take measures to keep sweet drinks covered and reduce sweet smells that can attract stinging insects, they are unaware that protein sources attract wasps. This could be grilled foods. It could be foods inside an open trash bag near a cookout area. It could be meats inside trash bags that are stored in open containers near the home. Keep trash covered and sealed in plastic bags to reduce wasps.
Bugs
The most common source of protein that draws wasps to a property is bug populations. Wasps eat bugs and bring bugs back to their nests for their larvae to feed on. If you have lots of bugs around your home, you could have a nest of wasps develop. You can have an impact on the number of bugs on your property by addressing conditions of moisture. Many bugs are drawn to moist conditions. Check your gutter system to make sure rainwater is being channeled away from your home. Trim tree branches to allow sunlight into locations that stay shaded and damp. Put space between the plants in your landscaping to allow the wind to flow through and dry your topsoil after watering. Fix leaky spigots on the side of your home. Remove weeds and other unwanted vegetation.
Holes
This might be the most surprising attractant of them all. Are you aware that ground holes on your property can increase your chances of a wasps infestation? This is because some wasps establish nests in ground holes. So even if your yard doesn’t have a food source or some other attractant, those holes may be enough reason for wasps to move in.
Colors
Do you like bright colors? So do wasps. Their complex eyes have a hard time distinguishing between beds of flowers and colorful homes. If you have a bright, colorful home, you may have more trouble with wasps. We don’t, of course, recommend that you paint your home a drab color. It is just important to realize that vibrant colors are an attractant and you should increase your efforts to look for developing nests on your property or have a licensed professional do these routine inspections.
The Problem With Nests
It is good to have wasps visiting your property. Wasps can be beneficial. They help with pollination and they can assist with venomous spider control. When away from their nests, wasps aren’t aggressive. If you don’t provoke them by waving your arms around, you’re not likely to get stung. But it is never good to have a wasps nests on your property. Wasps have a nest-protection instinct that makes them highly aggressive when they are near their nest and it doesn’t matter what you do… you’re going to get stung.
Professional Stinging Insect Control Services
Preventing stings begins with understanding stinging insects. When this is combined with residential pest control for your property, you can keep Texas wasps from sending you or someone you love to the hospital. If you live in Tyler Texas or the Dallas-Fort Worth area, reach out to Innovative Pest Control. Protecting families from dangerous pests is what we do best.
Categories:
- Wasp Prevention
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