Springtime Bees and Wasps
Springtime is beautiful, but it also brings some unwanted guests: flying insects. Ever wonder about those swarms of wasps where signs of nests are missing? Or those big, dangerous-looking bees in the early to mid-spring?
PAPER WASPS
Swarming paper wasps (Polistes) are a common sight in the springtime months both on the outside and inside of your home or business. Paper wasp nests hatch and develop next year’s queens and kings during the fall. After hatching, a paper wasp’s main objective is to survive the winter months. Attics and crawl spaces are the most common areas that these insects find to keep warm. As the weather warms in March and April, attics and crawl spaces get even warmer, causing these insects to become active and seek the outdoors to start new nests.
Unfortunately, some of these insects can find their way into your house or business, causing concern to owners or employees. A powerful vacuum cleaner is the best solution if their numbers are small; however, hundreds of these insects can occasionally be present. To best handle what could be a dangerous situation, it’s important to call an expert exterminator or pest management pro like those of us at ScherZinger. A near-permanent solution is to seal up vents, eves and gutters during the summer months and apply the proper pesticides in the fall on the exterior of the building.
BUMBLEBEES
The “carpenter bee” is the correct name for those loud, aggressive bumblebee-type pests. Carpenter bees are usually seen flying around eves and gutter lines of wooden houses and other structures.
The hidden female actually does much more damage than the visible male. She is busy drilling a perfectly round 1/2-inch-wide hole on the down side of gutters or eves. She will collect other insects in which to lay her eggs, providing a ready meal for the larvae when they hatch.
Carpenter bee adults live only for four to six weeks, then die with the next generation ready to hatch out of the holes the following spring. Control will include sealing or painting the wood, or filling and patching the existing holes with proper pesticides as well as building materials such as caulk and steel wool.
To talk to our experts on bees and wasps, call us or request a quote now.