The Cicada Killer wasp is a common type of wasp found on lawns and patios. Don’t let the name fool you though, they do not sting and only eat kill cicada bugs. Their appearance is frightening and they can grow up to an inch in length. These wasps like to burrow holes into the ground and nest there. They will make holes on your lawn, in between cracks on a patio, by plants, and in wood chips or mulch. You can identify their activity because they like to leave behind a pile of dirt. JP McHale is a New York bee and wasp exterminator that can treat and manage you cicada wasp problem. Simply contact us to learn about our services or if you have any further information.
Yesterday, one of our techs had a very funny encounter. Early in the morning he was called to a customers house to check for wasps nests. The homeowner came outside and held the ladder as the tech walked up and started to inspect the bottom of the roof. The tech was in his bee suit and mask so he would not get stung. While he was up there, he heard a piercing scream. Startled, he almost fell off the ladder! The home owners daughter had just woke up and outside her window she saw our tech in his bee suit! Who was more scared, our tech or the girl?
Ouch! Bee and Wasp stings are the worst! But how can you tell which one stung you? The Boston Globe published an article on May 17th explaining the differences bees and wasps. Like most people have experienced, both are painful when they sting you. A bee goes right on the skin, making a sting which releases 50 micrograms of venom, and then gets right out, leaving their stinger in the skin. A wasp, however, stings which releases only 2 to 15 micrograms of venom, and then leaves the skin only to try and sting a human again. A wasp keeps its stinger intact, unlike a bee, so if stung, make sure you remove the stinger if it stays in the skin. When removing the stinger, make sure you scratch it out and not pull so more venom does not come out. Once a person is stung the best way to treat a sting is to put ice on the sting or numb the area quickly so the person will not feel the pain. After the bee or wasp stings it is important for everyone to leave the area because once they sting, they will call others to the area. People can be allergic to one type of venom and not the other, but both stings will result in hives if the person is allergic. Make sure you notify a doctor immediately if the person experiences an allergic reaction and for severe cases, call 911.
(Wasp on left, Bee on right)
To learn more about bees or wasps and to see how JP McHale Pest Management can help you manage a bee or wasp problem, feel free to contact us by email, live chat, twitter, facebook, or check out our website. Have a great day and watch out for those stingers!
This YouTube video is a bit old, but it is very interesting. On a normal Sunday, this man was stung multiple times by wasps, and was very close to death if it wasn’t for the fast-acting wife. He was allergic to the wasps, but was not aware of the allergy at the time.
This is the time of the year queen wasp’s drop below the leaf litter to prepare for over wintering activities. They abandon their existing colony of wasps leaving working wasps without a leader.
Worker wasps try and find new colonies, but will be turned away at the door, because the pheromones do not link up. They will then take harborage around pools, parks and homes and become easily agitated.
To combat this, buy wasps traps, baited with orange soda or grenadine. Place these traps away from your sitting area. Eliminate sugar harborages such as dirty garbage receptacles.
WOW, what a hot day it is today. A high for about 92 degrees, and 50% humidity. We got a ton of rain last night, so the conditions outside are perfect for tons of pests today.
A 64 year old man, George Moody was killed today by a swarm of wasps in Wales. A man that enjoyed shooting in the wild, and was a retired landlord, was attacked by a swarm of wasps. Mr. Moody had a severe allergic reaction to the wasps, collapsed, and was dead within minutes. His friend called for help; however it was not nearly fast enough.
Though wasps can be beneficial to the environment, it must be known that if they are located close to commonly used areas by humans, control measures must be take. More people then you realize are allergic to wasps, and can end tragically like in this case.
Don’t let the name fool you though, they do not sting and only eat kill cicada bugs. Their appearance is frightening and they can grow up to an inch in length. These wasps like to burrow holes into the ground and nest there. They will make holes on your lawn, in between cracks on a patio, by plants, and in wood chips or mulch. You can identify their activity because they like to leave behind a pile of dirt. JP McHale is a New York bee and wasp exterminator that can treat and manage you cicada wasp problem. Simply contact us to learn about our services or if you have any further information.
This is the time of the year queen wasp’s drop below the leaf litter to prepare for over wintering activities. They abandon their existing colony of wasps leaving working wasps without a leader.
OW, what a hot day it is today. A high for about 92 degrees, and 50% humidity. We got a ton of rain last night, so the conditions outside are perfect for tons of pests today.
