Social wasps live in colonies or nests and are notorious for stinging especially if disturbed. The other species of wasp is solitary and is far more docile but will sting if handled. Destroying a wasp nest may seem like the logical thing to do if you have one on your property. There are a few reasons to avoid this course of action and instead call a professional wasp removal Toronto to get rid of the problem for you.
Getting Stung
This is an obvious problem. Wasps are vicious by nature and attack with little provocation. They are more aggressive than bees and hornets. You can almost guarantee that you will get stung when attempting to interfere with a wasp nest.
Wasps send a pheromone when in distress which alerts other wasps to come and help. You may find yourself getting stung by a multitude of wasps all at once. This is a huge risk if you are allergic or you don’t know for sure whether or not you are allergic to wasp venom. If you must remove a wasp nest on your own, make sure you have full-body protection and an escape plan.
Can’t Find the Nest
You may be having trouble with wasps but can’t trace where the nest is. You can try following workers that you see especially in the evening when they’ll be returning to their nest. They might guide you right to the nest.
Another likely scenario is the nest is out of sights such as in the attic or wall cavity. Do not attempt to stick your hand or face in any crevice to inspect for wasps. This is reckless and could lead to serious injury. Instead, hire an expert who can easily trace the problem back to the source.
Misidentification
It is difficult to safely eradicate a pest if you can’t identify it correctly in the first place. A yellow jacket, for example, is a type of wasp that is often mistaken for a bee since they are similar in size and colour. Others also confuse hornets with wasps. A hornet may be a wasp (since it is a subtype of wasp) but the reverse isn’t always the case. You need to use the correct pesticide for the specific invader otherwise you could be wasting your time and money.
Confusing stinging insects can also cause serious health problems and even death. Most people are either allergic to wasp venom or bee venom but rarely both. You may not be allergic to bee venom but are allergic to the wasp. Imagine confusing the yellow jacket for a bee and getting stung while attempting to treat or destroy the nest. Such incidents are not uncommon.
Misinformation
The internet is a great resource for finding creative ways for getting rid of wasps but a lot of this information can be misleading and even dangerous. Some DIY forums advocate setting the wasp nest on fire to destroy it. You can count on the insects leaving the nest before getting burnt. Agitated wasps are extremely dangerous. Wasp nests are also made from a paper-like material that is especially combustible. The flame can quickly get out of control which is a problem if the nest is against a house, tree or other structure.
Poisoning Children and Pets
Many professionals treat the wasp nest with an insecticide before physically removing or destroying the nest. There are many such treatments that you can purchase over the counter but nearly all are ineffective. Stringent chemical control laws in Canada restrict potent active ingredients to experts such as exterminators. It is also never advisable to use pesticides and other chemical treatments around children and pets especially if you don’t have experience or knowledge to work with them.
There are overwhelming reasons why you should hire a professional exterminator in Toronto rather than attempt to destroy a wasp nest on your own. The expert can also help to prevent the insects from returning in future. Hire a professional who offers a warranty for the service.