Effective Strategies For Yellow Jacket Control: Expert Advice For Columbia Property Owners
September 21, 2023
During the summer, many insects will emerge from their winter resting places and start searching for food and water. While you can find many types of bothersome bugs during this time of year, none are as feared or as unwanted as the yellow jacket.
The yellow jacket is a type of wasp that can be highly aggressive if you get too close to its nest. At Go-Forth Pest Control, our yellow jacket exterminators in Columbia are committed to keeping you and your family safe. We know the best way to keep these potentially dangerous insects away from your Columbia property.
Understanding Yellow Jackets: Behaviors And Habitats
With their yellow and black-striped bodies, yellow jackets are commonly mistaken for bees. However, if you look closely, you can see that they have slender and segmented bodies that all wasps are known to have. They typically measure around ⅝ of an inch long and have long antennae. They are also great flyers and use their long, thin wings to reach elevated areas and travel far distances.
Yellow jackets are social wasps. They tend to live in large groups divided into three castes; workers, males, and queens. They are exceptionally protective of their queen and their entire colony. If you get too close to their nest, you will likely see several yellow jackets coming out of their nest to defend it.
Yellow jackets will build large nests on the eaves of homes and other elevated areas. Their nest can be quite large at times and may look like they are made of paper. They can also nest in holes underground or in hollowed-out stumps. Sometimes, the nest can be difficult to see, and you won't know you are near the nest until you are stung by the wasp. If you see a yellow jacket on your property, you should contact a yellow jacket removal service near you. A professional cannot only remove the nest safely, but they can also inspect your property to ensure no more nests are hiding in your yard.
Dangers Of Yellow Jacket Stings: Allergic Reactions And Health Risks
Unlike bees, one yellow jacket can sting a person or animal multiple times. When the yellow jacket stabs you with its pointy stingers, it will inject a small amount of venom. The venom causes immediate pain and can also cause minor swelling. However, if you are allergic to venom, you could experience severe swelling that could cause obstructed airways and other life-threatening symptoms. Even if you don't think you are allergic to yellow jacket venom, you should never touch or try to remove the nest by yourself. Instead, you should hire a qualified yellow jacket nest removal service to remove the nest for you safely.
Creating A Yellow Jacket-Free Zone: Tips For Prevention And Protection
Yellow jackets are great flyers that can go almost anywhere they want. While a yellow jacket exterminator will be able to remove these aggressive insects from the yard, there are a few things that you can do to deter them from coming to your property in the first place. Some quick and easy preventative steps include:
- Don't leave food or drinks outdoors.
- Keep your garbage cans covered.
- Seal any holes or gaps on the exterior walls of your home.
- Make sure there are no tears or holes in the door or window screens.
Yellow jackets prefer to live outdoors but occasionally nest inside homes if the weather is harsh. If you see a yellow jacket inside your home, call a yellow jacket exterminator near you as soon as possible.
Professional Yellow Jacket Control: When To Seek Expert Help
At Go-Forth Pest Control, we provide safe and professional yellow jacket removal in Columbia. Give us a call today to see how we can make your yard yellow jacket-free once again.
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