Tips to avoid being stung by wasps
Medina, MN – You are more likely to encounter bees and wasps
from late summer through October.
Wasps, which include yellow jackets and hornets, eat other insects,
and are therefore considered beneficial.
Wasps generally do not sting or attack unless handled, disturbed,
threatened, or harmed. However, if
disturbed, most wasps, yellow jackets, and hornets are aggressive
and will sting repeatedly.
Wasp Safety Tips
The following tips can help you avoid painful stings:
- Remove fallen fruits, spilled food and drinks, soft drink cans, and garbage.
- Avoid scents and brightly colored clothing.
- Keep your house, garbage cans, garage, and attic clean.
- Wear closed shoes to protect yourself from stepping on a wasp or hornet.
- Avoid leaving sugary drinks unattended and always look before you drink out of a can outdoors.
- Look for wasps in work areas before using weed trimmers, hedge
clippers, lawn mowers, chain saws,
etc. Wasps frequently attack when a person mowing the lawn or pruning shrubs inadvertently strikes
a nest. - If a wasp or hornet comes near you, try to remain still until
it leaves. Do not swat at wasps or wave
your arms to fend them off. You will only antagonize them and be more likely to be stung. - If attacked, run away in a straight line as quickly as you can.
Do not flail or swing your arms at wasps,
as this may further annoy them. - Wasps target the head, mouth, and eyes. Therefore, lower your
head and cover your face as much as
you can without slowing your escape. - Do not stay still if you are being stung – wasps will not stop stinging if you “play dead.”
- Do not jump into a pool or other body of water to avoid being
stung. Wasps will wait for you to
surface and will sting you when you do. - Don’t pen, tie, or tether animals near hives or nests.
- Refrain from using a ladder to reach a hive that is high off the ground. Falling off a ladder while
- Receiving multiple stings is more costly than a professional exterminator.
DIY wasp nest control
Honey bees are beneficial and killing a bee hive should be
avoided. Call a local bee keeper to remove a honey
bee colony alive. Some homeowners may attempt to exterminate a wasp
nest with over-the-counter
pesticides.
If you do attempt to kill a nest:
- Remember, over-the-counter wasp killer products kill on
contact; so, it only kills the wasps you
actually spray. - Follow the instructions carefully.
- Wear protective equipment.
- Do not stand beneath the nest when spraying chemicals.
- Never remove an active wasp nest during the day, when paper
wasps are actively flying in and out of
the nest. - Check the nest the following day for any signs of wasp activity
before you remove the nest. Any
wasps that were absent from the nest at the time you sprayed may have returned to the nest.
For more information on wasps and other pests, please visit www.adamspestcontrol.com
