Finally the warmer weather is here and you’re getting outside more and more. But just as you’re watching your kids play while lounging with an ice tea, you notice wasps swarming around. Then you spy the hive in the corner of the playset. Now what? Your kids are in danger, but you don’t want to be held prisoner in your own home all summer.

There are some home remedies you can try, but your best bet is to hire professional pest control in Nashville TN for the most effective solution. But first, let’s go over the difference between wasps and hornets

Wasps

• Unlike bees, wasps can sting over and over again without dying.
• They live on all continents except Antarctica.
• They make nests out of paper, as a result of chewing strips of bark.
• All the wasps die in the fall, with the exception of a few new queens.

Hornets

• Hornets are in fact large wasps.
• The worker hornet is bigger than the queen.
• Hornets eat bees and other insects.
• They mobilize the entire nest to sting if a threat to the colony is detected.

Both of these stinging insects can get pretty hostile when threatened, but they generally don’t go out of their way to sting. They can also squirt venom in addition to stinging. The liquid gets into their prey’s eyes and blind them. Hornets like to congregate in small openings in the sides of homes or in tree bark, but their favorite places to nest are tree branches and large shrubs.

Hornet nests can contain up to 700 hornets at once!

Wasps build their hives in protected areas, away from the elements and predators like birds, such as hollow logs, bulkheads, attic eaves and window sills.

Wasp vs. Hornet

Wasps and hornets share some similarities but also have some differences that set them apart as well. Size is the biggest difference: hornets are larger than wasps. Coloring is another difference. Hornets are generally black and white, or brown-red. Wasps are smaller and their coloring varies.

How to Keep Them Away

There are a few home remedies you can try to keep wasps and hornets out of your home.

Soap and water

Spray small hanging nests with two tablespoons of dish soap and water, which will clog their pores so they die.

Peppermint oil

Spray peppermint oil to repel wasps.

Patch cracks

Preventive measures are best. This includes patching up any cracks in your doors, windows and walls. Be aware of places they can get in from the outside, such as at the edges of siding and the areas where power lines enter your home. Additionally, patch up your window screens if you see holes. Late fall is an ideal time to do this preventive work, as most worker wasps have already died. Early spring before the nests become active is another good time.

If you suspect a nest inside one of your walls, don’t just seal it up. They won’t just die in there; they’ll find another way out through vents, or they may even chew through your drywall.

Seal trash bins

Eliminate food sources in exposed garbage, recycling bins, and compost matter. Tightly seal the lids to keep them out.

Contact PureGuard Pest Solutions For Hornet Control in Nashville

Got wasps, hornets or other winged creatures on your property? PureGuard Pest Solutions can get rid of them quickly and easily so the threat can be stabilized. Enjoy your summer wasp-free! Contact us today for a free pest and hornet inspection and quote at 615-502-2855.