You’ve Got Questions, We’ve Got Answers

The skies are blue, the sun is warm, and the familiar sound of buzzing is in the air.  Our clients have a lot of questions about wasps, so we want to answer them here.  To ask more questions, so give us a call anytime at (585) 486-4815. 

A Wasp Is a Wasp, Right?

No.  Wasps come in many shapes, sizes, and temperaments.  Some are spindly and dark, like mud daubers, some are black and white, like bald-faced hornets, and some would look just like bees except for their lack of fuzz, like yellowjackets.  Paper wasps will sting when threatened but prefer to keep to themselves. Hornets and yellowjackets, however, have a short fuse. 

How Do I Deal with Wasps?

Prevention is the best cure.  Take note of the condition of eaves, windowsills, roofs, attics, and more in commercial, residential, and outdoor structures.  Rochester Pest Pro performs preventive and seasonal maintenance on all kinds of properties in Rochester, Fairport, Honeoye Falls, Webster, and the surrounding areas.

I Already Have a Wasp Nest on My Property.  Can I Get Rid of It on My Own?

Please don’t try to get rid of a wasp nest on your own, even if it looks like nobody’s home.  Without the proper PPE (personalprotective equipment), treatments, and procedures, you could be seriously hurt by angry wasps.  Also, many commercially available insecticides can be dangerous to humans, pets, and other organisms we want to keep around. 

We can’t understate how important it is to call the Pest Pros.  We are able to remove the nest carefully without drawing the wrath of the inhabitants or damaging the structure it is attached to.  We will then treat the area with the proper chemical mix that we choose based on multiple factors, such as the pest in question and who is supposed to be using the space. 

Do Wasp Traps Help?  

Not much.  Many wasps are being raised and sheltered in the hive, where the Queen is.  All traps do is kill off the wasps going out to survey the area and collect food.  The nest has to be removed to solve the problem. 

What Do Wasp Nests Look Like?

When we think of a wasp nest, what usually comes to mind is a papery gray ball attached to a tree.  Wasps make several different kinds of nests.  Paper wasps keep smaller colonies and make their nest in a single open comb in a sheltered spot.  Yellowjackets prefer to nest underground or in hollow places in a multi-combed nest with papery walls.  Various species of hornets make their homes in the gray ball shape in high places like trees.  Mud daubers were named for their habit of building hardened mud settlements in the ground or against buildings. 

Take note of any nests from a safe distance and describe what you see to us when you call Rochester Pest Pro.  If you come across a dead wasp, take a picture without touching it. 

Are Wasps Important?

Extremely!  Wasps may not be as cute or polite as bees, and they don’t make honey, but wasps are amazing pollinators. The next time you eat a strawberry, drink cider, or smell Rochester’s beautiful lilacs, thank a wasp.  That’s why we don’t want to lose them, only protect ourselves. 

How Do I Contact Rochester Pest Pro?

At (585) 486-4815 and at our contact page.  Take a look at information about wasps and other pests on our blog and our pest identification page.