One of the most intimidating pests in Louisville, KY is the wasp. Whatever type of wasp you have on your property, you probably don't want it there. But why are wasps there in the first place? Learn more about what attracts wasps before you find out how to keep them away.
Which Wasps Live In Louisville?
Across the globe, there are thousands of species of wasps. However, there are only a few wasps that plague Louisville, KY residents.
Typically, yellow jackets are known for harassing locals. They are social creatures with yellow and black striped markings. Known for their painful sting, yellow jackets are most likely to attack when they feel threatened.
Another common wasp in Louisville is the hornet. As the largest type of wasp, hornets are intimidating insects. They live in groups and can be highly aggressive, depending on the species. One of the hornets you're likely to see is the bald-faced hornet.
Paper wasps are also prevalent in the area. Unlike yellow jackets, paper wasp nests aren't fully enclosed. You can also identify this wasp by its unique colors. Paper wasps tend to be red, black, and yellow.
Why Prevention Matters
If you're taking the time to read this, you probably want to know more about wasp prevention. This is the best and only way to ensure wasps leave you and your family alone. When a wasp senses a threat, it goes into attack mode. Wasps sting intruders, and they don't go easy on the threats. Usually, wasps sting multiple times and in large numbers. Every time a wasp stings you, there's a chance you will develop an allergy.
An allergic reaction to a wasp sting is no laughing matter. The most severe reaction involves anaphylactic shock and shouldn't be taken lightly. To protect everyone on your property, you need to prevent wasps from taking over.
What Attracts Wasps
For your wasp prevention methods to be effective, you need to know what attracts wasps. All of the following factors make a property particularly attractive to these Louisville pests:
- Plants With Flowers: Wasps often seek out flowers for their nectar or for the other insects that live on the flowers. Either way, having flowers in your yard could draw in the wasps. You have two possible options to make your yard less appealing to wasps. First, you could get rid of all your flowering plants. If that's not an option, you can move your gardens far from your living space. It's also a good idea to maintain your garden. When vegetation gets out of control, wasps enjoy the insects hiding out in the greenery as well as the moisture.
- Sugary Drinks: Sweet drinks make your yard irresistible to wasps. If you plan on drinking a soda outside, there's not much you can do to keep wasps away. Throw away sugary drinks as soon as you're done with them, or store them indoors. An open pitcher of sweet tea is an invitation wasps can't say no to.
- Food Scraps: Depending on the species and age of a wasp, it may prefer either meat or sweet foods. Therefore, your food scraps attract wasps. If you have a picnic outside, you can expect these pests to come and eat your crumbs. Whenever possible, store your picnic food under a cover. After you eat, dispose of your trash in a garbage can with a lid. The fewer crumbs you have, the less likely it is you will see wasps.
What To Do About Wasps
If you find a wasp nest in your property, call us at Action Pest Control. Thousands of customers trust us to handle their pest control issues. When you call us, you can trust an experienced technician will come out to your property and safely remove any wasp nests. We offer advanced stinging insect pest treatments and a no-obligation inspection. Call us today at Action Pest Control to learn more.