This is the time of year when you’re most likely to be out in nature or just puttering around in your backyard. It is also the time of year when you’re most likely to be stung by a yellow jacket. This aggressive
wasp species is out in force through the entire summer, and not knowing if your yard is free of yellow jackets could come back to bite you. Use these five tips to keep you, your family, and your pets safe from these stinging insects.
- Be less attractive. You can prevent stings by learning what attracts yellow jackets. Like all insects, yellow jackets are looking for food. But, food for these painful pests comes in many forms. Yellow jackets eat meats and sweets. So, if you have any food or sugary liquid sitting around outside, you might have an unhappy run-in with these pests.
- Be alert. Whether you are walking through the woods or sitting on your deck, it is important to be aware of your surroundings. If you’re out and about, be aware that yellow jackets sometimes build their nests in the ground, and stepping on a nest can cause it to break open. But, tromping through the wood isn’t the only place you can run into these little stingers. They can get you on your porch, near the pool, tending the garden, and other places outside.
3. Seal your home. The first line of defense to keep any pest out of your home is to make sure your window screens, weather stripping, and door sweeps are all in good working order. But these are especially important for keeping out insects that fly and sting.
4. Prevent yellow jacket nests. An inspection of your yard and surrounding area is vital. Since these pests build nests in the ground, they can be disturbed by vibrations, like the kind you make when you mow your lawn. Also, make an inspection of the cap on your chimney, your vent covers, spaces around utility entrances, gaps or cracks in your foundation walls, and openings into your eaves or soffits to prevent yellow jackets from building nests in your home.
5. Get ongoing pest control. Yellow jackets are more than a nuisance pest, especially if you or anyone in your home has an allergy. Year-round pest control will keep this and other dangerous pests from entering your home. It is also wise to call a pro when you need a thorough inspection or a nest removed. Don’t take any chances when it comes to yellow jackets.
If you live in
New Jersey,
Pennsylvania,
Delaware, or the
Eastern Shore of Maryland, consider year-round pest control from Viking Pest. When we protect your family from yellow jackets, we also protect your home from a whole host of other dangerous pests with our inspection process and the most advanced pest control protocols in the industry.
Take the sting out of summer with yellow jacket control you can trust. Reach out to Viking Pest today and start living the good life.
Call Viking at 800-618-2847 to learn more about pest control and extermination services, or get a fast, free quote online today!