One of the top pests in Utah is the paper wasp. There isn’t a house or business that hasn’t dealt with this mean little pest. The paper wasp has a slender yellow and black body with long skinny legs. They are small in size, usually only about and inch long. Don’t let their size fool you though, these little guys pack a punch.
Paper wasps get their name from the paper like nests that they build. The nest is created by chewing wood fibers such as decks and wood fences down into a paste, then in combination with their saliva they are able to reform it into their nest. This is all very interesting until they start building their home on your home. Common areas for the nest to be built are soffits, eaves, porch ceilings, twigs or branches of a tree, window and door frames, railings and many more. They are usually hung upside down and have open cells. The size of the nest will grow as the colony does, getting up to 50-80 adults.
It can be difficult and dangerous to identify where they have nested sometimes. When searching for the nest, they can find you before you find them. They are not aggressive by nature but if they feel threatened or that you are disturbing their nest they will attack. Paper wasps can bite but they will usually resort to stinging. Unlike the common honey bee, wasps can sting multiple times. They are able to retract their needle like stinger from your skin and sting more that once without causing them any self harm. When it comes to the safety of you and your loved ones, one sting is one too many. Eliminating a wasp nest can be difficult depending on their location and activity level. To reduce the risk to you and your family member, it can be safer to enlist the help of a professional. With powerful sprayers and extension equipment Bug Off Pest Control has the tools and experience to eliminate these unwanted nests and return your home or business to a safe environment. With our Annual Protection Plan, we can even prevent the future nests from ever being started. Like Grandpa always said, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."