How to Avoid Wasp Stings & Get Rid of Red Paper Wasps in Your Burlington, NJ House & Yard
With spring underway the temperatures will begin to warm up, which means spring and summer time pests will start coming out of hiding. One pest you will begin to see this spring as the season progresses is paper wasps or sometimes also known as umbrella wasps. Paper wasps have a nasty habit of building their nests on porches or near homes. They are very protective which results in nasty stings. Ross Environmental Solutions will share how to identify and hopefully prevent paper wasps invading your home this spring.
Paper Wasp & Nest Identification Guide
There a many species of paper wasps. About 22 known species are in America alone. One of the most common species found in New Jersey are red paper wasps. Luckily paper wasps are only semi-social and stay in smaller colonies. Usually they only reach a few hundred members per nest and sometimes less than one hundred. Paper wasps are a brownish color with yellow markings. Red paper wasps have red markings instead. However, paper wasps are best known and identified by their nest. They will make a paper umbrella shaped nest often in high corners of buildings and porches. In warmer climates, with ongoing paper wasps, they will make large paper cone shaped nests. These are usually found in trees if left alone. Paper wasps will create segmented umbrella shaped combs connected together in the center. Over time the paper wasp will seal the nest with a fibrous paper like surface to keep the nest protected from predators. A recent study was conducted where paper wasps were discovered building rainbow nests with many colors. Researchers determined the color was from M&M candy, which is where they were getting the sugar to build their nest.
Life Cycle of a Paper Wasp Nest
When the temperatures drop the entire colony dies except for the queen. The paper wasp queen will find a safe place and then hibernate throughout the winter. When the temperatures begin to warm back up the queen wakes up and begins looking for a suitable site for her future colony. She will build the first stages of the nest and lay her first set of eggs. Once the eggs hatch, the queen will take care of the larva until they mature and are able continue building the nest. At this point, they begin taking care of the queen and the eggs. When the nest is being threatened, the wasps will sting the intruder multiple times. Paper wasps also release a pheromone that call other members of the colony to help defend the nest.
How to Prevent & Get Rid of Aggressive Paper Wasps
To prevent paper wasps from nesting near your home, the best way is by negating the queen’s effort in spring. If you see a queen paper wasp attempting to build her nest near your home, simply knock it down. She will eventually move on and look for a quieter, safer place to build her nest. If you discover a nest with multiple colony members then stay away from the nest and seek professional wasp removal services. A pest control service can come and remove the nest safely to help ensure your home stays wasp free. For professional wasp removal and pest control services, contact Ross Environmental Solutions and schedule our services today.
