Buzz Off: How to Keep Wasps Out of Your Car

a wasp on a car window trying to get inside a georgia car

a wasp on a car window trying to get inside a georgia carSummertime in Georgia brings sunny days, open roads, and unfortunately, some unwelcome visitors—wasps. These buzzing insects have a knack for finding their way into the smallest of spaces, including your beloved car. Thankfully, there are some easy steps you can take to make sure wasps don’t invade your space. Read on to learn top wasp prevention tips from the experts at Active Pest Control!

Why Do Wasps Build Nests in Cars?

It may seem strange that wasps choose cars for their nesting site, but there are actually a few reasons why vehicles are a top choice for many stinging insects. Wasps often build nests in cars because: 

  • Cars have plenty of shelter: Just like us, wasps appreciate a cozy shelter. Your car’s various nooks and crannies provide ideal spots for their nests. From the gaps under the hood to the crevices in the door panels, they’ll happily take advantage of any available space.
  • Ventilation makes for easy access: Wasps are resourceful little creatures. They’re drawn to cars because of the air vents, which provide excellent ventilation for their nests. The steady flow of air allows their offspring to breathe comfortably, and who can blame them for wanting a breeze during hot Georgia summers?
  • Old crumbs provide plenty of food: Wasps have a notorious sweet tooth. They’re attracted to sugary substances, such as spilled beverages or food remnants, that might be lurking inside your car. These tantalizing snacks serve as extra motivation for them to explore and establish their nests.
  • Sedentary cars are secluded: Wasps are crafty creatures that prefer to build their nests in hidden locations, away from prying eyes and curious predators. The protected environment of your car provides them with the perfect camouflage, shielding their nests from unwanted attention.

How to Keep Wasps Out of Your Car

Now that we understand why wasps find cars so appealing, it’s time to unleash our arsenal of preventive measures:

  • Remove any trash and vacuum regularly
  • Keep windows and doors closed
  • Avoid letting your car sit unused 
  • Seal any cracks with mesh or tape
  • Park in sheltered areas if possible
  • Inspect beneath the hood and in the trunk

What to Do if You Have Wasps in Your Car

Despite your best efforts, it’s possible that wasps might come inside your car. If this happens, it’s crucial to remain calm and take the appropriate steps to handle the situation safely. Here’s what you should do:

  • Stay Calm and Pull Over: If you notice wasps flying inside your car while driving, keep your cool and pull over to a safe location. Panicking or swatting at the wasps can lead to accidents or stings.
  • Open All Windows and Doors: Once you’ve safely parked, roll down all the windows and open the doors. This allows the wasps a clear exit path and encourages them to fly out of the vehicle.
  • Exit Slowly and Carefully: Exit the car slowly and cautiously, making sure not to disturb or provoke the wasps. Move away from the vehicle to a safe distance, preferably to an area without any wasp activity.
  • Call a Professional Wasp Exterminator: If you discover a wasp nest inside your car, don’t try to remove it yourself. Wasps can become aggressive when their nest is threatened, and their stings are painful and potentially dangerous. Instead, seek assistance from a professional wasp control company.

Finding wasps in your car can be a terrifying experience, but the experts at Active Pest Control are here to help! Our state-certified technicians have years of experience handling buzzing insects throughout Georgia, and they know how to quickly and safely remove wasps. To get fast wasp removal services, give us a call today!

Stinging Insect Prevention and Removal Tips

Two yellowjackets sitting on a cardboard carton

Two yellowjackets sitting on a cardboard cartonStinging insects become more active as the temperature warms up in Georgia. As a result, your yard might not be the best place to spend time. Stinging insect prevention is essential to keep your yard and outdoor spaces safe and enjoyable for you and your family. Some of the most common stinging insects include yellow jackets, wasps, fire ants, and bumblebees. 

The specific ones you might encounter in Georgia include the bald-faced hornet, bumblebee, carpenter bee, sweat bee, and honeybee. You might also spot the cicada killer wasp, paper wasp, red paper wasp, velvet ant wasp, European hornets, mud dauber, and the yellowjacket.

Here are tips on keeping the above stinging insects from settling in your yard and eliminating them if they do.

Yellow Jackets

One of the most aggressive species of stinging insects is the yellow jacket. They typically build their nests in shrubs, trees, or ground. They are easily provoked and will attack in swarms, making them dangerous pests around your home. To prevent potential injury, call an exterminator when you discover a nest on your property.

Wasps

Wasps, such as the cicada killer wasps, are easily distinguishable by their long, thin wings and slender bodies. They frequently build their nests in bushes, trees, or under eaves. While wasps are less aggressive than yellow jackets, they can still be a nuisance and deliver a painful sting if provoked. It is best to remove a wasp nest carefully to prevent unintentional stings.

Stinging Insects Prevention

Preventing stinging insects from ever making a home on your property is the best method to handle them. Here are some stinging insect tips you can use to keep them away from your space in the first place:

  • Maintain a tidy yard: Stinging insects like areas with lots of debris and waste. So, keeping your yard clean can prevent them from building nests.
  • Cover your food and drinks: Sweet and sugary foods attract stinging insects. So, be sure to cover your food and drinks when eating outside.
  • Seal any cracks or holes: Stinging insects can nest in small spaces. Seal cracks or holes in your home’s exterior to prevent them from getting in.

Getting Rid of Stinging Insects

Do you have a problem with stinging insects in your home? If so, you must be cautious to prevent potential harm when eradicating them. Here are some recommendations for eliminating stinging insects:

  • Call a professional: If you have a yellow jacket nest in your yard, call a professional exterminator. 
  • Use insecticide: Use an insecticide spray to destroy the nest and kill the insects. This works well for smaller nests.
  • Remove the nest: Remove the nest at night when the insects are less active and use protective clothing to prevent stings.

Call a Professional Exterminator

Stinging insects can be a real pain, both literally and figuratively. You can enjoy your outside space without worrying about painful stings by taking steps to keep them from nesting in your yard and knowing how to eliminate them if they do. 

It is crucial to contact qualified exterminators if you have a stinging bug infestation on your property. They will address the situation safely and effectively. At Active Pest Control, our experts can identify and eliminate stinging insect nests on your property. Contact us today to schedule an appointment. Remember to visit our Pest ID page for more information on identifying stinging insects. For best results, contact Active Pest Control for all your pest control needs.

Why are Yellow Jackets So Aggressive in the Late Summer?

Learn why yellow jackets are so aggressive in the fall in Atlanta GA - Active Pest ControlIf you’ve attended an outdoor barbecue picnic during the late summer in Georgia, you probably have dealt with yellow jackets trying to crash your party. Yellow jackets and wasps hatch in the spring and their populations grow throughout the summer. By the time fall rolls around, these stinging insects become more aggressive as they look for extra resources to support themselves. Understanding their behavior during this time of year is the key to preventing them from invading your outdoor activities!

What Attracts Wasps in the Fall?

As summer progresses, yellow jackets begin to outgrow their nests. With limited resources, they begin to expand their search for food and become more aggressive in doing so. They will seek out sugary substances as well as protein, which is why they target outdoor picnics and parties. Some of the things that attract yellow jackets outdoors include:

  • Food: Yellow jackets will eat any food source they can land on, making any food or drink you bring outside susceptible!
  • Eaves and holes: If you notice a small nest forming, call a professional to get it removed before it grows out of proportion.
  • Hummingbird feeders: Wasps will flock to the sugary water found in bird feeders.
  • Lawn insects: Wasps will occasionally grab grubs from your lawn to satiate their protein needs.
  • Swimming pools: All types of wasps love the ample water a pool provides.

How to Prevent Yellow Jackets

The best way to avoid dealing with yellow jackets outside is to know how to prevent them! Some of the ways you can keep them away include:

  1. Keep food and garbage covered with tight lids.
  2. Don’t wear bright colors or wear perfume.
  3. During the spring, seal any holes or voids around your home.
  4. Don’t walk barefoot through the grass in case they are loitering on the ground.
  5. Eliminate sources of standing water and cover your swimming pool.

Professional Help for Wasp Prevention

Because yellow jackets can get aggressive, it’s important to never deal with a nest by yourself. Especially during this time of year, they can sting without being provoked, which can be deadly to anyone allergic. If you’ve done all you can to prevent yellow jackets and are still dealing with them near your property, call the experts at Active Pest Control. We can safely remove wasp nests from your home to keep you and your family safe all year long.

Why Are These Stinging Insects So Mad?

Late summer and early fall are notorious times for folks to get stung by hornets, wasps, and yellow jackets. Insects that were relatively oblivious to our presence during the spring and summer (unless directly provoked) suddenly become more aggressive, as temperatures begin to dip a little. But why is this?

It just so happens that, like for some of us humans, wasps bad behavior can be tentatively blamed on their family history. Let us explain: Every year these creatures start their colonies from scratch. A single young queen will emerge from winter dormancy to build a new nest by herself. Her solitude lasts until she has raised her first brood of worker daughters, which then, willingly take over caring for subsequent rounds of eggs, larvae, and pupae. And this is not a brief task, as brood after brood comes into play. In fact, there may be as many as 1,000 workers raised in one summer, though for most of that time you wouldn’t know it.

We don’t notice them too much because all those workers are dedicated to feeding all those hungry mouths! And the young ones need lots of protein since these newly hatched larvae must undergo full-body metamorphoses, first into pupae, and then into flying (and stinging) adults. Species such as the bald-faced hornet and the German yellow jacket, hunt for caterpillars, flies, crickets and other crop pests. Other yellow jackets scavenge protein from dead insects and carrion. Once food is found, these workers must chew the source into a paste for the insatiable young ones. And, in all this labor, these faithful workers don’t get much time to eat for themselves.

So, it stands to reason that, when the last brood is raised and the new fertile queens fly away, all those worker females are just a tad bit grumpy. And can you blame them? So, at the end of summer, and in the early fall, these stinging insects seem to be interested in one thing–eating. And since their favorite foods are sugary foods that they can get from humans, they begin hanging around us at much higher numbers. Yes, the fact is, these flying, stinging insects ruin many picnics in the late summer and early fall with their aggressive appetite for sweet soda, sticky candy, and all things sweet.

The moral of this article is, if you do not want to deal with tired, worn-out, hungry, stinging insects on your property this season, reach out to a professional pest control company, especially if you notice nests. And, as always, if you’re in our service area, the experts here at Active Pest Control are standing by to help.

What Damage Can Carpenter Bees Cause?

Bees love flowers. They don’t eat wood. So, why should you have to worry about bees damaging your home? Well, those carpenter bees don’t attach nests to the side of your home like paper wasps. And they don’t establish their nests in the ground like some yellow jackets do. They create their nests in wood. If they choose the wood of your home, you may find yourself dealing with the unwanted repercussions.

When carpenter bees target a home, they usually target untreated wood. That means decks, porches, outbuildings, sheds, outside steps, fences, and other external structures are their first choice.

When carpenter bees make a nest, they prefer to tunnel upwards into wood. These tunnels go up a couple inches and then take a turn to follow the grain of the wood. This is usually horizontal to the ground.

While a carpenter bee tunnel is only likely to be about a foot or two in length, and only about the width of a nickel, the problem with these bees is that they prefer to use existing tunnels and expand on them. If you have multiple bees boring into the wood of your property, or carpenter bees visiting you year after year, the damage can become significant.

Most Common Carpenter Bee Damage

  • If these bees tunnel up into a railing on a porch or balcony, it can cause the railing to lose integrity and give way. This can lead to injury.
  • If carpenter bees make their nests in steps, it can cause a step to snap. And, like a rail that is not sound, this kind of damage can lead to physical damage.
  • When carpenter bees bore their tunnels into support beams, these beams can weaken and cause the larger structure to warp. And, if left untreated, damage done to support beams may cause a collapse to occur. Usually, the evidence of carpenter bees is seen long before the risk of such an occurrence. Carpenter bees often make tunneling to breach the interior of wood. This damage can look like dashes, dots, or trenches. Unlike termites, carpenter bees don’t have to worry about being exposed to the air outside of their tunnels.
  • If you see circular holes that are about the size of a nickel, it is likely that you’re looking at the hole of a carpenter bee. This will most often be found underneath structures, or in rafters.

If you’re seeing signs of carpenter bee infestation, let us know. The team here at Active Pest Control is trained in the most advanced pest control methods for dealing with this and other invasive pests. Reach out to us for immediate assistance.

How To Tell Apart Wasps, Hornets, & Yellow Jackets

In our Atlanta service area, we have many stinging pests. The stinging pests most commonly associated with painful welts are yellow jackets. Have you ever wondered what the difference is between yellow jackets, wasps, and hornets? Well, the answer isn’t as straight-forward as you’d probably like. The problem with figuring out what each of these are is muddied by improper, or unhelpful, common names. A perfect example of this is the bald-faced hornet, which is actually a wasp. Here are some visual distinctions to look for.

Wasps: Yellow Jackets, Paper Wasps, Bald-faced Hornets

As you can already see, this is a confusing mixture of insects. Yellow jackets and bald-faced hornets are both in the classification of wasp. One of the primary visual distinctions of wasps is an almost complete lack of hair. You’ll have to look closely to see hair on a wasp. Bald-faced hornets are usually a white and black coloring; yellow jackets are yellow and black; and paper wasps can be brown in color or yellow and black, like yellow jackets. All of these wasps are social insects. That means they can attack as a group. But of the three, yellow jackets are the most aggressive.

Hornets: European Hornets

European hornets, Vespa crabro, are true hornets with a significant distribution through the Eastern half of the United States. The most significant difference you will notice, visually, is that European hornets have some hairs on them. Though not nearly as hairy as bees, the presence of hairs makes them very un-wasp-like in appearance. They are also thicker and larger than most wasps, around 1.5 inches. Their black and yellow coloring make some people mistake them for yellow jackets. But their size and slightly hairy bodies should be a dead giveaway to which stinging pest they are.

What You Should Know About All Wasps and Hornets

These insects are drawn to sweet things. Whether you have flowers in your yard or a cup of juice sitting outside, you’ll draw these pests into your yard. They will also be drawn to open trash, which can be a source of carbohydrates (sweet things) and proteins (meats). If you want to keep wasps and hornets away, make sure all of your exterior trash is sealed, and that you have no sweet smelling things in your yard. This includes perfumes and sweet scents.

Pest control for wasps and hornets is the same. It is vital to reduce nests, whether they be aerial nests or ground nests. Fewer nests mean fewer stinging pests, and fewer stinging pests will result in fewer stings.

If you need assistance to control the population of stinging pests on your property, or you have a nest that you need to have removed, we can help. Contact us today for a fast resolution to your pest problem.

Problems Carpenter Bees Cause

Carpenter bees are a unique species even among their own kind. These pests do not live in colonies, and they very rarely sting. In fact, the males do not even have stingers, and the females will only sting when handled or when they feel threatened. But that does not mean that they are not a threat. Before you discover the problems that carpenter bees cause, you should know a bit about them so you can accurately identify them.

Carpenter bees look very similar to bumble bees, who happen to be their cousins. They are very large and have fuzzy, black heads and large black abdomens. The major difference between the two is that bumble bees are fuzzy all over and carpenter bees are not.

Carpenter bees are solitary insects with each female living in her own home; however, several females can live in the same general area. They prefer to nest inside untreated wood, and will often nest in decks, sheds, other outbuildings, wooden play sets, fence posts, and other untreated wooden areas. Over time, these bees can cause significant damage to these structures, especially if several females are present.

The holes created by carpenter bees are around a half an inch in diameter. Once this nest is established, the female will lay her eggs in it; and when the eggs hatch and mature, these new bees are unlikely to stray very far from home. They will, however, travel a few feet or yards away, create a new hole, and move out on their own to begin the cycle all over again.

It is important for homeowners to know the signs that carpenter bees are near. The damages they leave are typically the most noticeable warning:

  • Holes in untreated wood around your home that are generally around a half an inch in diameter.
  • Markings around the holes in a semi-circular pattern resembling a fan.
  • Wood shavings gathered on the ground near the holes.
  • Scratching sound coming from inside the wood.

Understandably, these damages are enough of a reason to keep carpenter bees from choosing your home as their nesting site, but it gets worse. Much worse! As the larvae grow and move around inside the chambers that the mother bee has made inside the wood, they make noise. You probably will be unaware of this wrestling, but woodpeckers are not. And it just so happens that woodpeckers love to feast on carpenter bee larvae. Those holes that the carpenter bee made are going to seem inconsequential once the woodpeckers are done pecking and feasting. Repairing this extensive damage can be costly.

The best way to protect your property from the damages that carpenter bees and the pests that feast on them can cause is with help from the pest professionals here at Active Pest Control. Our pest control experts can treat and control carpenter bees on your property and eliminate the risk to your home and your wallet. To learn more about our effective solutions for carpenter bees or any of our other industry-leading pest protection services, give us a call today.

Hornets & Wasps In Fall

If it feels like you’re seeing more hornets and wasps flying around, it isn’t your imagination. Every year, these insects do the same thing. In spring, the overwintering queens come out of hiding, start new nests, and grow their populations all spring and summer. In fall, those nests are filled or nearing capacity, and those stinging insects are far more abundant. Here are a few things you should know about hornets and wasps in fall.

  • This is the time of year when stinging insects will try to get in through your doors and windows. It is extremely important to make sure you keep doors and windows closed. It is also vital to have screens that are in good working order. When hornets and wasps land on screens, they crawl around in search of entry points. Those entry points can be as small as the size of a pea.
  • Damaged weather stripping is an easy access point for stinging insects. Inspect the weather stripping on your sliding doors. If you have any damaged bristles or the weather stripping isn’t making a solid contact from top to bottom, you could accidently let in an unwanted guest. Look closely. It doesn’t take much of a hole for these tiny critters to squeeze in.
  • Door sweeps are another, often overlooked, entry point. When wasps and hornets get into the garage or onto the porch, it may be a damaged door sweep that lets them into your home. Fixing your door sweeps will keep them out and keep all the cold air out when it starts to get cold outside.
  • If you have nests on your property, you’ll have more run-ins with hornets and wasps. You’ll also have more hornets and wasps trying to get into your eaves and in through your windows as the temperatures go down.
  • Hornets and wasps can be quite aggressive when their nest is threatened. It is important to follow strict safety protocols when neutralizing and removing a nest. Pest control companies have the tools and education to do this safely.

If you live in our extensive Georgia service area, let Active Pest Control take care of those nests. Our team of certified pest specialists is trained in advanced pest protocols, and follow strict safety guidelines when dealing with nest removal. You can always trust that insecticides will be handled in a way that will pose no threat to you, your children, or your pets, while making sure that no stinging pests will have a home on your property.

Let our team of dedicated professionals show you why our customers have made us the 2015 Angie’s List Super Service Award winner.

Yellow Jackets & Wasps in Georgia

The arrival of summer is a bit like welcoming back an old friend. So many memories are made during this season – days at the pool or beach, eating your weight in barbecue and peaches at the Pigs & Peaches BBQ Festival and spending time right in your backyard. Of course some memories have a little sting to them. We’re talking about hornets, yellow jackets and other stinging insects that also show up.

Dealing with stinging insects in Georgia is nothing new. Though they have their merits (you know, eating other insects or in the case of bees, pollinating our crops and flowers), there is a reason we often liken a bad situation to stepping into a hornet’s nest.

For the most part yellow jackets and hornets are relatively peaceful towards us. If you stay out of their way, they’ll likely reciprocate. If you threaten them, however, be prepared to run or face a sting (or several). Oftentimes, dads rouse these pests when using the lawn mower or other loud equipment or kids come too close to a nest.

So how do you avoid stinging encounters. As with any pest, knowledge is the best way to protect your family’s health and safety. Yellow jackets are often mistaken for bees because they also have yellow and black stripes. One notable difference, they do not have the fuzzy, round appearance that bees do. Their bodies are smoother and narrower. For the most part, yellow jackets are ground-nesters but yellow jackets nests have been found in eaves, under porches, bushes and even in wall voids. Bald-faced hornets are long, lean stinging pests with pinched waists. They are mostly black with white faces and build their nests off the ground in shrubs, on houses and other buildings.

A sting from either of these pests may result in a welt and some discomfort. For those who are allergic, the reaction may be significantly more and require medical attention. An important attribute to note, both yellow jackets and hornets have the ability to sting more than once and if that occurs, children, elderly and others may experience more severe symptoms. If you’ve been stung by one of these guys and are not experiencing life-threatening symptoms, you can grab an ice pack for the swelling. Over-the-counter medicines like Acetaminophen may also help with pain but we encourage you to talk to your doctor before administering any kind of pain relief. We’re pest people not medical professionals.

If you discover a nest near your home, please walk away and leave it where it is. Contact Active Pest Control for help removing the nest. Our pest control professionals have the knowledge and tools to safely take care of yellow jackets, hornets and other stinging pests. Don’t take chances with your family’s health, enjoy your summer and call us if you find stinging insects taking over your property!

Wasps & Hornets: Prevent Infestations, Protect Your Family

This time of year, the pest control experts at Active Pest Control deal with numerous complaints of wasp and hornet nests on homeowners’ property. You may not know there are several ways to protect yourself from these creatures and prevent them from becoming problematic pests. Your friends at Active Pest Control want to educate you on a few ways to help stop these winged nuisances before they become unwelcome neighbors on your property.

Keep food sources outside your yard

It’s tempting to send the kids outside with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches all summer long, but doing this on a regular basis is bound to attract hornets and wasps. Particularly, food items with sugar, including fruit juices, can cause wasps and hornets to invite themselves over for a free meal.

Another potential food source for these creatures is your trash, so make sure to keep your trashcans tightly sealed so they can’t get in and establish nests nearby.

Seal up cracks on the side of your home and patch up loose siding

To prevent infestations, seal up cracks in your home and patch up loose siding. Wasps and hornets like to find these crevices and build nests there, and sometimes they can ultimately end up entering your home through these tiny holes.

Once wasps or hornets get inside your home you will most certainly need immediate assistance from a pest control specialist to help rid them from your home.

Do not try to remove them on your own

If your prevention efforts aren’t working and wasps form a nest in your home, do not try to remove it on your own. Doing so could anger the wasps and cause them so swarm, which could result in painful stings all over your body.

Instead, contact a pest control expert like the ones at Active Pest Control to combat these creatures. Our specialists have years of training in helping to stop and prevent wasp and hornet infestations, so please contact us via our contact form to request an appointment.