Insects are crucial for pollination; they keep your garden colorful and productive throughout spring and summer. Wasps are among these pollinators. Generally, you will see them come and go and should leave them undisturbed to attend to their duties. However, if wasps decide to make your property your home, they may become a threat during your backyard gatherings.
A Madison hornet control professional can help remove an infestation and provide more information about protecting your property in the future. Our professional exterminators and pest control experts are here to help, serving Madison, Fitchburg, Middleton, Verona, Mount Horeb, Stoughton, Oregon, McFarland, Cross Plains, and Cambridge.
Hornets are a type of wasp species. Several types of these six-legged insects are common across the country. If you spot an insect about an inch long with a thick, black body and a white mask, you are in the company of a bald-faced hornet. Their teardrop-shaped nests are typically high in trees, look like paper mâché, and can be as long as two feet. If they feel threatened, bald-faced hornets aggressively swarm and sting invaders.
The reddish-brown European hornet is larger than the bald-faced one, growing up to 1.5 inches long. Their faces are yellow, with matching yellow rings along their abdomen. While other wasps are active during the day and nest at night, European hornets are active at all hours. They usually build their nests at least six feet off the ground.
Murder hornets are uncommon but have made their way from Asia to the U.S. These insects have two-inch long black-and-yellow-striped bodies topped by orange heads. Homeowners overrun by hornets face the danger of being swarmed and stung. Where bees can sting only once before dying, wasps, including hornets, can sting repeatedly. For this reason, you should call a Madison professional to identify and control a hornet problem.
Hornets die off in the winter months but often take up residence in the same spot year after year. You can use a botanical repellent regularly to dissuade them. You should also check and seal your home’s foundation and outside walls to prevent wasps from nesting in these spaces. Hornets also are attracted to garbage decaying under the summer sun, so make sure your garbage can has a tight lid. You should also trim and maintain any foliage on your property and spray deterrent oils when necessary.
Hornets are social creatures, so if you see several congregating in your yard, a colony of them is probably nesting nearby. Nests feature a small hole in the bottom for hornets to enter and exit, and you could be enveloped in a swarm if you are standing in their way. In addition, hornets use pheromones to communicate, so when one hornet senses danger, they send signals for their kin to swarm. If you notice swarms of hornets or signs of a nest on your property, we recommend reaching out to a professional Madison pest control company for assistance.
As beneficial as hornets and other wasps are as pollinators, these pests can be aggressive to anyone they believe is threatening their territory. While you can take steps to prevent a wasp infestation on your property, it’s dangerous to try and remove an existing nest or colony without proper safety equipment and knowledge of these creatures. In these circumstances, you should consult a Madison hornet control company to ensure you and your family stay safe and away from the swarm. Call Ready Pest Control today to learn more.
