Wasp 101 and the Difference Between Wasps and Hornets

Even though we love our pollinators, we want them to stay outside where they belong. Pollinators often take the form of stinging insects, and some of them can set up shop in our houses if we’re not careful.

In this article, we’ll learn a little bit about wasps. We’ll also showcase the differences between hornets vs. wasps, as well as how you can prevent them from becoming pests in or around your home.

At Environmental Pest Management, we’re your partner for safe and effective pest removal. We keep out the unwelcome critters while making sure to protect all the “critters” that belong there. Call us today for a free estimate , and restore your home to a pest-free haven.

All About Wasps

If you’ve always avoided stinging insects at all costs, you may think they’re all the same. In fact, there are roughly 30,000 distinct wasp species in the world!

Around our homes and properties, the ones we see the most can be aggressive when disturbed, congregate in hives and are generally not fun to be around.

However, most wasps species are solitary and don’t sting. All wasps play an essential role in nature as predators. Wasps prey on other insects and help control their populations. (Who knew wasps could be effective mosquito control?)

Wasps come in every color of the rainbow, with the brighter, flashier varieties often paired with a stinger. Unlike bees that are generally rounder and sometimes fuzzy, wasps have a narrow waist and a pointed tail.

Every wasp species builds a nest. To do this, they work as a well-coordinated team. Individual wasps forage on trees, fences, barns, or other wood surfaces. They chew the wood fibers, scraping them with their strong jaws, and create a pulp which they use to build the papery walls of their hive.

Wasps build their nests in any safe, covered refuge. The corner of your soffit or the eaves of your garage could be an ideal spot to build a sheltered home site.

New colonies get their start each spring with a queen who spent the winter in a warm place with her eggs. The queen builds a small nest, just enough to incubate her initial squad of workers.

Once the worker-females hatch, they get to work expanding the nest, and the queen can lay more eggs to grow the colony in the spring and summer. Wasp nests can accumulate up to 5000 hive members.

This nesting behavior is unique to social wasp species. Many wasps, as mentioned above, are solitary creatures.

Wasps, Friend or Foe?

Though wasps and hornets are essential to a healthy ecosystem, it’s right to give them a wide berth and discourage them from setting up house near you.

Wasps will swarm and sting when threatened, even if it’s an accidental step, stumble, or fall into a nest. Further, wasps can use their stingers more than once, so they can keep delivering a punch until the threat goes away.

Though we want to give wasps healthy distance from humans, they are often used as insect control for farmers with their crops. Obviously, wasps and humans should not directly mix, but helping wasps do their job in nature is vital to all of us.

Hornets vs Wasps: What’s the Difference?

Though we often use the terms “hornet” or “wasp” interchangeably in conversation, there are some distinct differences between the two insect types.

In the US, we have two common social wasp species: Yellowjackets and paper wasps.

Our common hornet species include the European hornet (a true hornet species)and the bald-faced hornet (which is actually still a wasp but was named colloquially as a hornet.)

Hornets are slightly larger than wasps, measuring in at 1.5 inches. Hornets also have a more subdued coloration in black, white, or brown tones.

Hornets build their nests above ground only, whereas wasps can attach a nest to an aerial location as well as nesting in the ground.

Hornet nests are also exclusively made of the familiar paper material, whereas wasp nests, when aerial, remain unprotected by a paper covering. Hornet nests also remain smaller than some wasp nests, topping out at around 700 insects per hive at the most.

Finally, hornets are predators through-and-through, targeting other insects near their nests for their food source. Wasps prey on other insects, but they also enjoy foraging on sweets and proteins.

Wasp and Hornet Similarities

Like hornets, yellowjackets can be aggressive stingers when threatened. However, paper wasps are typically more docile, and unless their home is truly under threat, they won’t generally come after passers-by.

Still, those stingers! It’s important to control wasps or hornets around your home. Getting stung can mean anything from a painful, but minor injury, to a severe allergic reaction with a possible visit to the ER.

Call EPM For Professional Help With Stinger-Patrol

Being proactive about pest discovery is the first step in ensuring a sting-free property. Have a look around your house, paying careful attention to cracks, creases, corners, or other potential areas where wasps and hornets may find a haven.

You may also want to carefully canvas your yard, keeping your eyes open for flying insects like hornets or wasps and taking note of their flight path. If you see one or several landing in your yard and then disappearing, you may have a ground nest with which to contend.

If you notice insect activity but cannot find a nest, it may be inside a wall, an opening in your siding, or a crevice in your attic. It’s important to secure any points of entry into your home as part of your pest control strategy.

Once your pests are trapped or evicted, you’ll want to make sure to keep any future “welcome mat” rolled-up tight.

The professionals at Environmental Pest Control will give a thorough home inspection when you notice pest activity. We’ll make a control recommendation that fits your home, family, and budget, as well as helping you repair common points of entry for future pest prevention.

At Environmental Pest Management, we understand the importance of stinging insects in nature just as much as we know the importance of keeping them out of your home. Contact us at the first sign of wasp or hornet activity, and we’ll get you back to enjoying your yard.

August 17, 2019November 6, 2019

All About Wolf Spiders

Seeing a wolf spider inside your house is terrifying. This unique-looking creature is beneficial to the environment, though that doesn’t mean you want them as a roommate. You likely want to make sure you protect your home from the invasion of this pest.

Here at Environmental Pest Management, we help you solve your problem and get rid of pests, especially wolf spiders, all around your house. Visit our website or call us at 952-432-2221 for professional help and tips you can apply on your own.

Living together with a wolf spider may not be as invasive as having any other pests like ants and flies in your house, but it can be a nuisance and quite a scary sight to see when they multiply. Getting professional help, like the experts at Environmental Pest Management, will help rid your home of wolf spiders.

What Are Wolf Spiders

Wolf spiders are arachnids that are commonly spotted in brown, black or gray hues. They grow 35 millimeters in body length and have eight non-compound eyes that are organized in four small eyes that form one layer, another row for two more enormous eyes and an additional two small eyes on the topmost of the head.

Due to its size and color, it is not a question anymore why wolf spiders inspire fear to anyone who sees it. However, wolf spiders are not harmful and can be beneficial to your homes. You may not want to believe this, but wolf spiders are advantageous to have in your homes.

Good news! These hairy arachnids usually do not bite humans. They, most of the times, eat insects, worms, and any other living organisms that are tiny enough to catch and devour.

According to National Geographic, wolf spiders, also known as ground spiders, are the sprinters in the world of spiders. Unlike any other spiders, they do not spin webs and do not use silk to subdue prey. Instead, they stalk their target, move quickly, and aggressively just like wolves.

Wolf spiders protect themselves through camouflage, with dark brown and mute colors. If their prey is small enough, a wolf spider will crush it up before devouring it. If the prey is larger, a bite will inject the food with venom and prepare it for ingestion by liquefying it’s organs.

Lifespan of a Wolf Spider

Wolf spiders live quite a bit longer than you think. Sad to note but wolf spiders live for the entire two years! This means that you cannot ignore their existence in your household, for they will lay eggs when they find your home safe and comfortable.

Their life starts when the female wolf spider builds its egg pod of flimsy white silk, formed like a ball with a noticeable circular seam. It will then transport the egg sack around attached with strong silk to her spinnerets.

When the baby spiders hatch, they catch a ride on the mother’s back until they are ready to take on the world alone. Wolf spiders have an unusually low degree of parental care; they leave their young when they are ready to scatter.

Where do Wolf Spiders Live?

Wolf spiders are found everywhere; there’s likely one nearby you right now.

Due to the changes in the environment, wolf spiders found ways to adapt and live. While others live on some cold and rocky mountain peaks, a few also reside in volcanic lava tubes.

They thrive on to drylands like inland shrublands and deserts. They have also learned to survive in wetlands like forests along the coast and meadows on mountains.

Though wolf spider species are said to be found everywhere, their number is high in gardens in suburbs, dunes along the coast, mountain herb fields or along river beds. The habitat of this spider can span a vast region. Wolf spiderlings travel great distances.

Now, you might be wondering how wolf spiders get inside your house. Since wolf spiders do not make webs, they choose to live in burrows. Wolf spiders sometimes close off their burrows with silk. During wet periods, wolf spiders protect their burrows with small items, like pebbles, and even build canals to rebound floodwater. They also put twigs at the top of the hole.

Although wolf spiders are used to wet areas since they consider it as their habitat, they need a temporary place to stay in that is warm and dry. Unfortunately, in many cases, your house fits the bill.

When the fall season starts, wolf spiders pursue habitats that give warmth. They have been known to enter homes and are usually found in windows, walls, ceilings, and even in your cupboards.

Wolf Spider’s Diet

Wolf spiders search for food during the night. Typically, they prefer:

crickets
ants
worms
houseflies
moths
mealworms
mosquitoes
grasshoppers
other types of small invertebrates

Surprisingly, this type of spider does not only eat tiny insects. At times, large classes of wolf spiders can consume small lizards and frogs.

Are Wolf Spiders in My House?

All spiders, including wolf spiders, have the aptitude to get inside your home. They frequently scamper underneath the openings and cleavages below doors. Sometimes they are carried inside on you or a houseguest.

Detections of wolf spiders are the primary indication of their infestation. If you found wolf spiders attacking your structure, it is best to contact an expert. While they may seem scary, you are safe. Calling an expert will ensure your home is free of creepy, crawly pests, like wolf spiders.

Environmental Pest Management will cast away your fears as well as those wolf spiders. Reach us now for a free house consultation and start living a pest-free life!

July 30, 2019January 22, 2024

Paper Wasps: How to Prevent Them from Nesting on Our Homes

You know that warm and fuzzy feeling you get from looking at certain animals — a puppy, a fawn with its mother, sea otters? Well, wasps are a completely different story. Wasps generally elicit fear and panic.

Seeing wasps in or around your home can leave you afraid to walk around freely, not to mention if you have little children that wander around everywhere. The last thing you want is for your children to be in danger of getting stung by a wasp or a colony of wasps. So, how do you prevent them from taking up residence alongside you?

Contact Environmental Pest Management at (952) 432-2221, to help you get rid of wasps. In the meantime, below are some tips and tricks to help you deter those pesky insects so that you can continue to enjoy your space to the fullest.

What Are Paper Wasps?

Paper wasps are winged insects that are predominantly brown with yellow markings. These wasps get their name because of the type of nests that they create. The nests are umbrella shaped and look as if they are made out of a paper or cardboard substance.

Just like other wasp colonies, they have a queen, and they work during the seasons to gather food for themselves and their queen. During the winter, all of the wasps in the colony die except for the queen.

While these wasps can have a potent sting and become a nuisance, they can also be ecologically beneficial. These wasps eat nectar from fruits, as well as smaller insects such as beetles, flies, and caterpillars. Yes, believe it or not, wasps can help you by getting rid of other bugs.

Signs of Paper Wasps

The tell-tale signs of paper wasps are nests. Paper wasps usually build their umbrella-shaped nests in places like:

Branches
Porch ceilings, rafters
Shrubs
Railings

Anywhere a nest could hang from is a potential site for a paper wasp colony. Wasp nests have openings where the queen lays the eggs.

Another sign of a paper wasp infestation is seeing one or two around. These types of insects are social and live in colonies. They usually stay closer together, so if you see one wasp flying around your home, chances are you will find more.

How to Deter Paper Wasps

Secure Your Trash Bins

Wasps are attracted to areas that have more abundant food sources. So a place that has garbage out and exposed, a lot of open recycling, or composting bins will be ideal for the formation of a colony. Having open trash bins can lead to flies laying eggs in those areas, and where there are larvae, there are paper wasps near. Therefore if you want to prevent paper wasps from nesting at your home, make sure your garbage bins are covered and sealed, especially during the spring and summer months.

Use Peppermint Oil

According to studies done by entomologists, peppermint oil is a deterrent for wasps. Commercial products are available or, you can make your own peppermint oil and water mixture at home. Use the spray to coat all areas targeting eaves, rafters, porch roofs, etc. Spray your mixture in areas where you have found wasps nests in previous years, as they tend to build around the same areas.

Maintain Space In and Around Your Home

In the early spring months, do a perimeter sweep of your home and keep an eye out for any potential areas of wasp infiltration. Fill in any cracks around your home, in areas such as window sills or door frames, with caulk, preferably a silicon-based product. Filling the cracks will prevent paper wasps from coming into your home. During the fall and winter months, the entire wasp colony will die except for the queen, which will try to find shelter in a warmer environment. Keep a lookout to make sure she isn’t lodging inside your home.

Trim Shrubbery and Trees

Another way to deter wasps from building nests is to keep your plants and trees well-groomed.

Paper wasps love to make their nests in any area that hangs. So if you have trees that have long branches or twigs, or shrubs that are a bit unruly, make sure to do some trimming and maintenance in the spring.

How to Get Rid of Paper Wasps

Good Old Soap and Water

If you are looking for a more eco-friendly way of solving your wasp problem than with chemicals, look no further than your kitchen. A mixture of soap and water can help you combat paper wasps and prevent nesting all at the same time. Fill a spray bottle with water and then add in about three tablespoons of dish soap. The dish soap in the water breaks down their exoskeletons and essentially drowns them. If you decide to use this method, make sure you are a safe distance away from the nest.

Call Environmental Pest Management

When in doubt, always call upon a local pest management professional. While paper wasps are generally not aggressive, they can attack and sting if they are defending their nests. Environmental Pest Management has been providing excellent and trustworthy service for over 30 years and guarantees results. Working in the greater ten-county metro area of the Twin Cities, they have dealt with their share of paper wasps and other insects.

If you have already found a wasps nest at your home or looking for professional service to prevent them, call today at (952) 432-2221 or look us up at www.bugtech.com.

The professional and expedient service at Environmental Pest Management will have you enjoying your home again in no time.

July 23, 2019January 22, 2024

Springtails: Tiny Bugs that Scare People and are Tough to Control

Have you heard of springtails? If so, do you know their physical appearance? Well, these are the insects you should put on the list if you are looking for an exterminator.

You might have seen them, but it’s just that you didn’t recognize them. No worries though, we will talk on how to kill springtails in this article.

But before we skin the cat, if you are suspecting springtails to have infested your house, don’t panic. Reach out to E n vironmental Pest Management which deals with the extermination of bed bugs, flies, cockroaches, rodents springtails, ants, or any other insect that might have turned the stay in your house into a nightmare.

So, what are Springtails?

According to Pennstate College of Agricultural, springtails are insects with segmented bodies with three pairs of legs and piercing-sucking mouthparts.

They are calm, but when disturbed, you startle them to the extreme. They can jump up to 10 cm due to their furcula body structures. That’s why they are called springtails.

Many people don’t put them in the list of insects that they should get rid of. Little do they know the kind of destruction they can cause.

Before we delve deep into more details about these insects, let’s have a look at some of their characteristics.

Small-sized bodies that range from 0.3mm to 5mm
Springtails don’t cause irritations or bites – their only good part. They have a massive load of downsides, though.
Their number shoots high in a short time, and they can thrive to 100,000 per cubic meter.

How are Springtails attracted?

What brings many of the household insects are dirt, stale food, or stuffiness in the house – for instance, larder beetles, roly-poly bugs, and ants.

Springtails, on the other hand, are attracted when your area has had a long streak of heavy rainfall.. These are typical weather conditions; hence, you are likely to have them at any time.

Springtails prefer places with high humidity, moisture, and dampness as they can breed in considerable numbers in a short time. So, the cold and wet areas would be the first place to check if you want to get rid of them.

Are they harmful?

Oh yeah.

No insect brings good tidings to your home. If not taken care of early enough, they’ll even cause diseases.

As much as springtails won’t cause the above effects, they are still a nuisance and will take away the peace and comfort from your home.

Whenever they find a breeding place that can sustain their growth, it won’t take a long time before they grow into their thousands of numbers.

How to kill Springtails?

Let’s face it – if you’ve had these insects on your home, I bet you know how a great deal it is to fight them.

It’s a game of numbers, if you opt to “DIY” ways of management, you’ll be fighting a losing battle. You’ll have to up your game.

Our number one piece of advice is to look for trusted pest professionals that have been in the industry for quite some time.

Once they have done proper inspections to confirm that they are springtails, they’ll come up with integrated programs for preventing these “culprits” from growing into a bigger swarm, and hopefully, their end.

1. Fungus and Molds

You are in greater danger if your homestead offers an excellent platform for their growth. To add salt to the injury, when your house is surrounded by what they eat.

These would be fungus and molds. Getting rid of these plants would be dealing with the leading cause and not the symptom.

Also, if you remove molds and fungus, you will not be keeping springtails away alone. These flowerless plants are excellent attractions of fungus gnats which have loads of downsides.

2. Avoid Darkness

Flies like moth and pterygote have positive phototaxis hence are attracted by light. That’s why you’ll find a vast number of moths around streetlights when it has rained heavily.

Springtails, on the other hand, have negative phototaxis hence cannot withstand brighter lights.

A good weapon against them would be more sources of lights in your home. You can replace the lesser lighting bulbs with lighter ones. Lamps and fixtures also provide enough light to keep them away.

3. Soap and Water

Soap and water are all-time household items for cleaning. According to this article, there are over twenty new uses of soap that are not known to many. Another addition to the list will be getting rid of springtails.

If you are unlucky to have them on your kitchen or bathroom, you can opt for this method. The bubbly water solution will drown them. Besides, the solution also has a burning effect on the bodies.

Besides, water is an excellent cleaning agent hence you will not get any other insects looming near your house because of the dirt.

4. Proper Ventilation

Since springtails are brought by humidity, dehumidifying the home will be a significant milestone on your quest to finish them.

It’s advisable to use a suitable insulation method for perfect airflow and freshness in the house. Proper circulation of air also prevents them from thriving. Ensure that the roofing is keen to avoid water from dripping inside the house.

5. The Vinegar Treatment

Springtails are enemies with anything that is acid-related. That’s why vinegar is useful when you want to get rid of them swiftly.

You can put the vinegar into a spray bottle and spray it against the springtails. They’ll either die or leap away since they can’t stand the acid in the vinegar.

The Bottom Line

By now, you are probably sick of these insects and will try all the above methods, and they will help you a great deal.

However, there is a bit of better advice, which will not only help you get rid of springtails but also take care of other potential insects that might invade your house.

It would be the perfect time to contact Environmental Pest Management for a well-done job. All in all, you will be free from these little monsters and return comfort to your house.

July 12, 2019September 29, 2021

Bald-Faced Hornets: Extremely Aggressive Insects that Need Special Handling to Control

Have you checked your home lately? How about around your backyard? If not, make sure to check it right away in case you need to get rid of any hornet nests. For professional help, contact Environmental Pest Management.

Bees, wasps, hornets, or any other types of insects that sting are genuinely frightening. It would be more dangerous if you have children at home. Hundreds of families around the globe consider these nests of insects as a threat.

One such particular insect that is quite ferocious is the Bald-Faced Hornets. They are known to be such aggressive ones, and their sting is excruciating. Several families have reported that their homes have nests of these hornets and that that they multiply fast and are territorial.

But before anything else, what are Bald-Faced Hornets? These hornets may be new to you. So let us dig deeper and have a closer look at them.

Bald-Faced Hornet

A Bald-faced hornet sting is similar to that of a hypodermic needle that connects to a sack containing potent toxin venom. These hornets can give you painful stings repeatedly. Since they tend to be aggressive when their nest is in danger, it makes it necessary to ensure you will follow a proper procedure on how to get rid of a bald-faced hornet nest.

Since these hornets are truly dangerous, families now intend to eradicate these pests from their homes entirely. However, even the removal of these nests is pretty hazardous. That is why we need to have prior knowledge about these insects, specifically on how to remove them or if possible, ask professional help.

It may be true that bald-faced hornets have a poor temper when their nests are disturbed, They are usually not an issue when you see them away from the nest. In reality, bald-faced hornets are beneficial insects. They kill other tiny insects like flies and others, and the young eat them.

Hornets build their nests usually in trees. They become almost invisible when they are in trees. Most people do not even know that it is there until the leaves fall during the autumn. Hornets do not reuse an old nest and begin each year with a new nest.

Getting Rid of Bald-Faced Hornets

Let’s get down to business. How to get rid of these hornets?

It’s time to understand how to get rid of them as we don’t want to suffer pain, caused by their stings, just like a young girl who was casually strolling around their backyard then found a nest of hornets at an old wooden chair and kicked it. A swarm of hornets chased her and she received painful stings.

You don’t want to experience it, do you? Removal of the nests of bald-faced hornets becomes necessary when the nest is already close enough to your house that they become a threat to you or your family. They will build nests in hedges, on the sides of houses, attics, and even the whole part of sturdy patio furniture.

Best Time to Remove Nests

It is recommended to remove a bald-faced hornet’s nest during the early days of spring when the nest is not yet entirely constructed or finished, and the bald-faced hornet queen is the only threat. There will be an estimate of 400 worker hornets in the nest during the months of summer, and nest removal can cost you a few hundred stings.

You have to keep in mind that these hornets are colonial by nature, and they have a hierarchy. Hornets have smooth strings that can help to sting repeatedly. If you think they are quite near to your home already, then it is best to remove their nest immediately, or you call a Environmental Pest Management to do the job as an active colony can be hazardous.

Removing Outdoor Nests

You can easily find the nest anytime during the day but removing it must be done only during the night. It is best to use the technique of Subdued illumination, and you can make use of red cellophane paper on the flashlight used for lighting. Bald-faced hornets cannot see red so you can easily catch them that way.

Thick protective clothing must be worn to avoid the angry stings of these creatures. Aerosol sprays are recommended against bald-faced hornets as it helps to knock them down quickly. Foaming agents can also be used as it expands the pesticide inside the nest, which traps the hornets inside.

Removing Indoor Nests

Whenever you notice a bald-faced hornet queen flying in the house, it shows that she is opting to construct a nest inside your home. This situation needs help, and we should make it our priority.

We may use hornet traps that can catch the queen, only if she is all by herself, and then you can let her out into the wild. Vacuum removal is the best way, but it needs to be done by a professional because using pesticides and insecticides inside your house is not recommended.

How to Treat a Sting

If you get stung by a bald-faced hornet, would you know if you had an allergic reaction?

According to WebMD, treating hornet stings depends on their severity. Most insect stings for those who are not allergic need no more than first aid given at home. If you have allergic stings with no allergic symptoms, you need to clean and apply antibiotic ointment on the affected area.

For someone who experienced a severe allergic reaction, it is best to seek immediate medical help. Steroids and Antihistamine will be given for fast relief.

After Removing Nests

The procedure of removing the nests of bald-faced hornets must be done for three consecutive days before bringing the nest down. In this way, we can kill all hornets living inside the nest. The den has to be taken down, put in a separate garbage bag and should be disposed of carefully.

According to Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences, you can never avoid having nests of Bald-Faced Hornets in our homes. Though known for their aggressive behavior and painful stings, they still have a role in our environment and keep our ecosystem alive. Said above were helpful tips but only got rid of them when it is necessary.

If you think the situation is beyond your care, it is better to call for professional help rather than risking your safety and your family. Reach out to Environmental Pest Management for help with getting rid of these hornets. Always keep safe and keep an eye for these insects.