Preventing Wasp And Hornet Stings In Knoxville During The Fall

Preventing Wasp And Hornet Stings In Knoxville During The Fall

Wasps and hornets can be a nuisance during the thick of summer. Throughout June and July, they’ve been swarming your barbecues and buzzing through your picnics. But they aren’t only active in the summer. By the end of summer, all young wasps and hornets are out of their nests foraging for food. This means you might have more stinging insects now than you did all summer. Let’s take a look at what this means.

Increased Aggression in Stinging Insects

You’re more likely to be stung by a wasp or hornet in the fall. This is mostly because there are more of them. All the eggs have hatched, and entire colonies are out looking for food before winter hits. For some species of stinging insect, it’s important to gather enough food to keep a colony alive throughout the winter. For other species, hibernation isn’t an option, and fall is just the last chance to enjoy sweet nectar.

Either way, these insects are more active in the fall than they were in the spring. If you let your guard down, you may find yourself with uncomfortable stings. Wasps and hornets tend to be aggressive only when they feel threatened. It’s always a good idea to keep an eye out for hornets and wasps, especially during the fall when there are more of them around.

Preventing Wasps and Hornets

There are some things you can do now to prevent an infestation next year. One way to prevent stinging insects is to clear your yard. Stinging insects build nests in holes in the ground, in trees, on overhangs, even on playgrounds. One way to prevent this is to fill holes and trim all plants in and around your yard. Another way to prevent stinging insects is to control the presence of other pests. If you have lots of bugs on your property, wasps and hornets will probably show up in search of food.

Tips to Avoid Getting Stung

Preventative measures can be helpful, but it’s important to learn how to protect yourself from stings when stinging insects do show up in your yard. You can avoid getting stung by avoiding bright-colored clothing. Flower patterns will attract confused wasps and hornets, as will bright patches. Perfumes, or even scented soap or shampoo, can attract stinging insects. Sweet smells are enticing to them and increase your chance of getting stung. You can also minimize your chances of being stung by covering as much skin as possible and wearing long pants and long sleeves when you know you’ll be spending a lot of time outdoors. Finally, wearing bug spray can help dissuade stinging insects from coming too close to you.

When to Call Russell’s Pest Control

It’s good to think in terms of prevention and avoiding stings. Wasps and hornets are important pollinators, and you will inevitably come across a few here and there on your Nashville property. However, if your yard is filled with wasps and hornets, or if you think there is a nest on your property, it is best to get professional help. Russell’s Pest Control has experience in identifying the species of stinging insect and the factors that might have attracted them to your home in the first place. We can create a custom treatment plan to clear your yard of these pests so that you can enjoy the beautiful weather of fall without wondering if you’re about to receive another painful sting.

Why Spring Means The Return Of Stinging Insects To Eastern Tennessee

Why Spring Means The Return Of Stinging Insects To Eastern Tennessee
Spring offers a return of many things to Eastern Tennessee. Flowers, leaves, and warm temperatures are just a few of the things we look forward to at this time of year. Of course, spring also brings a few things we don’t look forward to. Here’s why spring means the return of stinging insects to Eastern Tennessee.

Why Spring Means the Return of Stinging Insects to Eastern Tennessee

When the weather turns cold in late fall and early winter, stinging insects die off. Only the queens survive, hunkering down in their nests to hibernate through winter until the weather warms up again.
Now that spring has returned and the temperatures have increased, the queens can become active again. They’ll come out of hibernation, leave their old nests behind, and begin to look for a new place to build a home and lay their eggs.

Dangers of Stinging Insects

There are many types of stinging insects that plague Eastern Tennessee. Wasps, hornets, yellow jackets, and cicada killers are all common stinging insects in this part of the world.
 
While many stinging insects will keep to themselves the majority of the time, the problem comes when they sense any kind of danger. Most stinging insects are territorial and will become extremely aggressive when protecting their nests.
 
It’s important to note that many stinging insects can sting more than once. Many people think all stinging insects lose their stinger after one sting, but that’s not always the case. For instance, wasps can sting multiple times, making them even more dangerous to any person who comes in contact with them.
 
Of course, the major danger of stinging insects is getting stung, but they become a big problem when they build their nest near the entrance to your home or in a heavily trafficked area of your yard. They’ll also become a problem whenever you try to enjoy an outdoor meal, as they’ll be attracted to your food.

Why Get Professional Treatment for Stinging Insects

When you try to take care of stinging insects on your own, chances are high that you’ll end up with painful stings. If you use a spray, you may end up killing more than you bargained for. A spray can kill the stinging insects you’re aiming for, but it can also kill the beneficial honeybees and bumblebees that are so crucial to our ecosystem.
 
That’s why it’s best to get professional treatment for stinging insects around your Eastern Tennessee home. Russell’s Pest Control can find the source of the problem and take care of it in a safe and eco-friendly way. We also offer year-round pest control that will take care of over 30 common pest problems.
 
Keep your yard free of stinging insects this spring and summer with help from Russell’s. Give us a call to learn more about our services today.

Learn More About Scorpions

Learn More About Scorpions

Professional Scorpion Prevention Tips

You and your family have decided to put down roots and create a home in a more rural, tranquil setting, outside of city limits and away from the hustle and bustle of daily life. You understood that moving away from the city and close to nature would bring you and your family closer to things like birds, squirrels, mice, spiders, insects, and even the occasional skunk or porcupine; you may not have, however, have realized that you would also be moving closer to scorpions. To help protect your family and give you peace of mind regarding these potentially dangerous creatures, the professionals at Russell’s Pest Control want to provide you with some helpful information about scorpions, including how to keep these stinging pests out of your home!

The first thing to know about scorpions is that while there are some very venomous and dangerous species of scorpions found living in the United States, the species found in East Tennessee pose much lower health risks to people. However, this is not to say that you shouldn’t be cautious around scorpions. Scorpions are definitely a pest that you want to take great care around. A sting from a scorpion is very painful, like a very painful bee sting, and depending on the person, could cause a serious allergic reaction. A scorpion sting should always be taken seriously, and if necessary, medical attention should be sought. Another problem with finding a scorpion on your property, near your home, or inside of your home is that if you see one, there are likely many more lurking around that you aren’t seeing.

Now that you have learned a bit more about East Tennessee scorpions, you are probably wondering how to keep them out of your home. The following scorpion prevention tips will help to keep scorpions from being attracted to your property and finding their way into your home, as well as help prevent you from being stung:

Outside your home:

  • Remove clutter and debris from your yard; scorpions like to hide in the cool shade that clutter provides.
  • Trim back trees and bushes away from the exterior of your home.
  • Inspect the exterior of your house, sealing any spaces or gaps that could allow scorpions to gain access into your home.
  • Make sure that all window and doors screens are completely intact.
  • When working outside or in outbuildings like garages and sheds, always wear work gloves.

Inside your home:

  • Reduce clutter inside your home, especially in storage areas like basements and closets, where scorpions typically like to hide.
  • Shake out clothing and shoes before putting them on.
  • Pull down bedding and inspect your bed for scorpions before lying down for the night.
  • Try not to leave piles of clothing on the floors, especially damp towels; scorpions love to hide under them.

If you are experiencing problems with scorpions on your East Tennessee property or inside of your home, contact us at Russell’s Pest Control. Our highly trained professionals are experienced at handling problems with scorpions and will safely remove them from your property; they will then work with you to put prevention measures into place, including implementing a year-round home pest control plan, to prevent their return. To receive the necessary professional help needed to keep your rural home free of scorpions, give us a call today at Russell’s Pest Control – East Tennessee’s pest control experts!

Stinging Insects Are Back

Stinging Insects Are Back

There is an old saying that folks have used for generations to welcome the emergence of springtime. The saying is, SPRING has SPRUNG! This is a beautiful saying! Flowers are blooming, trees are showing off new greenery, butterflies are flitting about… But there is something that could change this saying drastically if you don’t have proper pest protective measures in place. Spring has STUNG!

The fact is, nothing ruins a perfectly pleasant day in your backyard faster than a lot of stinging insects plaguing you as you try to work, or play, or simply relax. While we understand that pollinating insects, such as honey bees, are necessary, you don’t need to have hives on your property. And it certainly isn’t necessary to allow wasps and yellow jackets to set up shop in your yard.

Why Do Stinging Insect Populations Increase In Warmer Weather?

Insects are cold-blooded creatures and cold weather cause them to slow down or stop completely. When the weather warms up, cold-blooded creatures (like stinging insects) become more active. They will come out of hiding, create nests, and begin multiplying as soon as the temperatures become ideal.

Steps To Defend Yourself From Stinging Insects

  • Have nests removed from your property. While this is dangerous to attempt on your own without proper equipment and knowledge, the removal of nests and hives by a professional is a key way to reduce stinging pests.

  • Check window and door screens. Make sure these are present and in good condition to keep stinging insects out of your home.

  • Refrain from wearing perfumes and other sweet-smelling products when you are outside. Stinging insects are drawn to sweet smells.

How To Make Your Property Less Appealing To Stinging Insects

  • If eating outside, keep all food in sealed containers as much as possible. Make sure drink containers have lids. Also, do not leave leftover food, pet food, or other food sources in your yard.

  • Keep all garbage in receptacles with tight-fitting lids. If your trash cans have loose lids, consider using bungee cords to fasten them. This will help keep smells in and bugs out.

  • Try to keep your property dry. All pests need a water source to survive. The dryer you keep your property, the less appealing it will be to pests. Remove items that collect water, and fix spigot, hose, and gutter leaks. Trim vegetation away from your home so things can dry out.

The Best Plan

If you don’t want to be saying, “Spring has stung!” this year, reach out to Russell’s Pest Control. With our year-round pest plans, you will benefit from the reduction of stinging insects as well as the elimination and reduction of a host of other dangerous or nuisance pests. Give us a call today for prompt, professional assistance.

Aggressive Stinging Insects

Aggressive Stinging Insects

You’ve seen the wasps, hornets, bees and yellow jackets around all summer and they have been somewhat ominous, but now they are becoming much more aggressive. What’s going on to make them that way? Their main focus is a sweet treat, so you’ll want to be aware of those stinging insects when picnicking, barbecuing and having any type of outdoor event.

The yellow jacket queen, in particular, and all of her daughters have laid eggs, cared for their larvae and pupae, and have increased their population to up to 1,000 workers. These workers are now at the stage of their life where they no longer need to care for and feed the young, they can freely seek out what their appetites desire, which tends to be sweets. Sweet nectar, sticky candy, aromatic perfumes, luscious pastries and beverages.

Make sure you look into beverage bottles, cans and cups before taking your next sip so you don’t inadvertently anger an eager stinging insect that is lurking within. Better yet, keep your drinks covered so they won’t be tempted to dive in there in the first place. You should also keep foods tightly covered and trash can lids securely sealed. Keep an eye out for nests as well, because if you accidentally disturb their nest they are apt to be even more aggressive. These tips will help you avoid some stinging insects, but won’t protect you completely.  

These stinging insects, including wasps, hornets and yellow jackets can sting multiple times. Their stingers are not barbed and do not remain in your skin after a sting. They will all aggressively defend their nest and colony by attacking the intruder. Some people that are allergic to the venom will have a severe reaction and require immediate medical attention.

The best thing you can do if you experience a stinging insect problem on your property is to call a pest control service right away. You will not want to attempt nest removal on your own, you could potentially get stung and aggravate the colony even more.

The trained professionals at Russell’s Pest Control in Tennessee can help resolve your stinging insect problem. Once the problem has been removed and area treated, you will want peace of mind knowing that they will not return. Russell’s Pest Control offers year-round pest control services that will prevent any future issues.

Here at Russell’s Pest Control, our mission is “to provide the highest quality pest management services to homes and businesses in Tennessee through our determined quest for customer satisfaction and employee excellence”. So, give us a call today at Russell Pest Control.