HOW TO MAKE WASPS & HORNETS BUZZ OFF

When you hear a buzzing sound, 1 or 2 things commonly happen - you start to itch (because mosquitoes have that effect on people) or you run in the opposite direction of that sound because you think a painful bite or sting is about to happen.

With the wasp & hornet season upon us, it's easy to think that all buzzing bugs are our enemies and are out to ruin our summer fun. Wasps & hornets are commonly thought to be sting-itchy, aggressive, and never far from their squad of angry, sting-itchy buzzing friends. Bees are also often confused for wasps & hornets because they share the same general colouring and buzz about too. 

Having an active nest around your home, property or business is very concerning, especially this time of year, when wasp and hornet colonies are growing in size. For anyone who is allergic to their sting, just hearing a buzzing sound or sighting something that resembles a wasp & hornet can cause panic and motivate a mad dash indoors. This is 100% understandable - allergic reactions can be very serious. 

There are 30,000 identified wasp species in the world (hornets are a type of wasp), and the vast majority are solitary and not social. This is important because solitary wasps & hornets are anti-social, less aggressive, and often do not sting. They can (and will) sting if you mishandle them, but mostly they just use their stingers for hunting prey. Social wasps live in colonies, are aggressive, and more likely to sting if they are provoked or feel threatened. 

Here in Ontario the most common types of wasps include these 4 species:

• Yellow Jackets
• Paper Wasps or Umbrella Wasps
• Bald-Faced Hornets
• Mud Dauber Wasps

Of these 4 common specifics, only mud dauber wasps are solitary. This means that yellow jackets, paper wasps and bald-faced hornets are aggressive, and will sting if they are provoked or if their nest is under threat. Yellow jackets are of the highest concern as they are just mean tempered by nature. They are known to sting for no reason. 

There are things you can do to help keep wasps & hornets away, such as: 

• Store your garbage, recycling and composting bins away from your home or business and use tight-fitting covers.
• Regularly clean the above bins to remove sugars and proteins, which can attract wasps.
• When entertaining outdoors this summer, keep raw and cooked food sealed or covered as much as possible, and clean up spills when they happen, especially sugary liquids.

If you have an active wasp & hornet nest, or suspect you do, seeking professional pest control help to remove the nest is advised.

Check out our pest library to learn all about wasps and hornets, how infestations happen, how to wasp & hornet proof your home or business and what you can do to get rid of wasps and get rid of hornets. 

Summer is too short to spend it inside, so we hope these tips and resources will help you get outside enjoy the amazing weather!