Wasp
pest control is a subject that most Atlanta residents are familiar with. In fact,
wasp infestations are a common sight throughout Georgia as the state is home to
a variety of species of wasps. In this article, we take a look at the dangers
of wasp infestation and how you can get rid of it safely.
Wasps in Atlanta
Though
many kinds of wasps can be seen in Georgia, the most common types you are
likely to encounter – particularly in the city of Atlanta – include baldfaced
hornets, European hornets, paper wasps, yellow jackets, and cicada killers. Among
these, baldfaced hornets are the most aggressive species and European hornets
are the least aggressive ones. However, all species will attack you if provoked
– even unintentionally.
The Dangers of
Wasp Infestation
Wasps
tend to build their nests in isolated places like attics, wall voids, and
hollow trees. A single nest usually contains a large number of wasps. It is
guarded by sentry wasps, which fly around the nest all the time. If they sense
any threat to the nest, they will send a signal to the rest of the hive and
they will attack the identified threat as a group.
What
makes wasps dangerous is that their stings are extremely painful – even more so
than that of bees. Also, wasps tend to attack you in great numbers. It is
dangerous even for adults and could be absolutely fatal for small children. If
you are allergic to wasp stings, you could develop an allergic reaction, which
could result in nausea and vomiting. You could even go into anaphylactic shock
in rare cases.
What
is more problematic and makes wasp pest control absolutely necessary is the
fact that you could provoke wasps unknowingly and end up facing the
consequences. If the nest is completely or partially hidden from your sight,
you might not even notice it. You could easily walk past it and get dangerously
close to it at times, at which point the insects might consider you a threat
and decide to attack you. The scenario becomes particularly dangerous if you
have small children who love to run around and play and could get close to a
wasp nest without knowing.
Getting Rid of
Wasps
If
you notice a wasp nest or see a bunch of wasps flying around in your home, the
first thing you need to do is contact professional wasp pest control services
right away. It could be tempting to try DIY methods at time, but it is a bad
idea for a number of reasons.
- First and
foremost, wasp removal is an extremely risky and dangerous process. One
small mistake and you could be covered in wasps screaming bloody murder.
- If a wasp
nest gets disturbed and the colony gets agitated, it is not only dangerous
for you, but also for the people around you. If they sense that the entire
nest is in danger and get loose, they could attack every moving thing in
the vicinity.
- You need
the right kind of training and technical know-how to remove a wasp nest
safely. What kind of chemicals to use, how much should be applied, what
other precautions need to be taken – all these are things only a trained
professional would know.
Fortunately,
Atlanta is home to a number of wasp pest control specialists. You can find a
number of companies that specialize in removing a wide range of pests including
stinging insects like bees, wasps, and hornets. You could contact these
companies to know what the process actually entails, what it costs, and other
such details. Once you have all the information, you can pick and choose a
company that you think suits your budget and needs best.
The company will send professional pest removers
to your place to get the job done. After making an initial assessment of the
size and extent of the infestation, they will decide the right course of action
to get rid of the nest permanently. They usually wear protective suits and are
armed with the right kind of equipment to remove the infestation. They do it in
a safe and careful manner so as to not disturb anyone in the vicinity. Once the
nest is removed, they usually clean up the place and also give you pointers on
what to do in case of a future infestation.