The arrival of summer means grilling, hiking, and vacations, but it’s also peak season for yellowjackets. To help prevent painful stings and swarms while you enjoy your outdoor areas, follow these tips from United Pest Solutions.
- Trim Trees
If you have trees that are touching your home, you may want to prune them. This is a great way to help prevent many pests from easily invading your home, from rodents to yellowjackets.
- Remove Standing Water
Yellowjackets need water to stay hydrated, so your birdbath or clogged gutters may be attracting these stinging insects to your home. Consider removing these sources of standing water to help deter yellowjackets.
- Make Repairs
Yellowjackets will take advantage of small holes in your home to build nests. Inspect your soffits on a regular basis and make sure to seal up any holes that would allow the yellow jacket access to a wall void. Check your windows for gaps as well, so these stinging insects don’t fly into your home. If necessary, consider touch-up painting. Yellowjackets love bare wood, so any flaking or peeling paint areas will be prime candidates for nesting or obtaining nesting materials.
- Clean-Up Food Waste
Yellowjackets love soda, juice, and other sweets, especially in late summer. They’re also meat-eaters which is why you often see yellowjackets swarm your BBQs and picnics. Clean up crumbs, keep your garbage bins tightly closed, as far away from people as possible, and cover your drinks to help keep yellowjackets away.
- Avoid Perfume
If you’ll be spending a lot of time outside, consider skipping scented bath products as yellowjackets are attracted to sweet-smelling scents.
- Landscape Wisely
Yellowjackets are attracted to certain plants, especially blossoming flowers. Keep these stinging insects away from your property by avoiding plants they love such as cherry blossoms, hydrangeas, and clover.
- Work With a Pest Professional
More than 500,000 people are sent to the emergency room every year because of stinging insects. So if you’re dealing with yellowjackets or other wasps on your property, don’t attempt to remove the nest on your own. Turn to a pest professional such as United Pest Solutions. We provide yellowjacket removal services in the greater Bellevue WA area. We’ll quickly and safely remove your yellowjacket nest so you can return to enjoying your outdoor activities.