Avoid bee stings with a few basic steps

It seems like it is that time of year again, where the stinging bugs are after us whenever we try to enjoy the beautiful outdoors. Wasps, hornets and yellow jackets are social pests, building nests that can be quite large. Nests are made from a material produced by females who combine their saliva excretions with wood fibers to form the familiar-looking paper nest. A paper nest can be built by hornets, paper wasps and yellow jackets, but the yellow jacket nest is usually not visible. Their nest is usually underground or less frequently in the wall voids of homes.

Wasps that build paper nests on or in our homes, barns, place of business or other structures are vespids (Family Vespidae), a group of some of the more dangerous of the stinging insect pests. These stinging insects feed on a variety of items, including insects, which (in the overall cycle of things) make them predators of potential pests and therefore beneficial – until they get too close to us and our families. Yellow jackets will feed on a variety of items that contain sugars, proteins and carbohydrates. Some of the foods this pest eats are beer, aphids, caterpillars, flies, meat (usually from the carcass of a dead animal or fish) and various items found in garbage cans. Once this happens, they become a pest that needs dealing with in a safe manner.

These vespids may build their nests in areas that are just too close to humans for us to ignore, like near a patio or deck. When this happens, there are a couple of basics that will limit the possibility of getting stung while eliminating the wasps and removing their nests:

Wasp, hornet or yellow jacket elimination should always be done at dusk or dark. As it begins to get dark, these stinging pests are generally at rest and during this period you will get a better kill. When it gets dark, the wasps are not out foraging for food, and they will be at their nest. While they are at rest, there is far less chance of getting stung.

Once the pests are in the nest, you can apply an insecticide registered for use on wasps, hornets and yellow jackets. Many of the products are designed to spray from several feet away. Be sure to spray enough to cover the space they are in but not enough to be running out the hole. Always read and follow the directions on the label.