According to Pest World, “Stinging insects like bees, hornets, and wasps send more than 500,000 people to the emergency room each year. There are also 4,000 kinds of wasps in the United States.” The danger of wasp stings leading to harmful allergic reactions is a year-round concern that reaches its peak during the summer months. For facility managers, these nests make for an unsafe work environment that can slow production, lead to workplace injury claims, and cost hundreds of dollars in pest removal.
Fortunately, in the latest episode of Straight Talk! with Jeff Cross, urban and medical entomologist Jennifer Gordon with Bug Lessons shares details on wasps and what you need to know about avoiding them, how to get rid of them, and other precautions for your home or work.
As Gordon states, “Depending on the species, location, and time of year, you can come across a nest that can have several hundred or thousand wasps in it.” Although the nests are dormant during winter, Gordon says that the queen survives the winter months and begins rebuilding her nest and raising young the minute spring begins. This is why spring and summer are the most active seasons for wasp species. However, Gordon also states that wasps are typically considered a beneficial pest since they do kill other pests to feed their young.
When asked about the removal of wasps, Gordon stated that large nests should be handled primarily by professionals and untouched as these colonies have hundreds of wasps ready to sting in the case of a nest attack. For small nests, insecticides for wasp and hornet removal are ideal to use later in the evening when the insects are not as active and cognizant.
Learn more about wasps from Jennifer Gordon in this episode of Straight Talk! below:
To learn more about seasonal pest control as a facility manager, check out CMM’s article, Seasonal Pest Pressures on Facilities, today.
