Stinging Insects

Treat soon so spring doesn’t sting.

Stinging insects can make outdoor spaces uninhabitable, and with the weather starting to warm up, now is the time to consider the forgotten places that stinging pests usually hide out. Next time you’re treating for wasps, hornets or fire ants, check these places to ensure that the spring doesn’t sting your clients.

Play Equipment:
Often forgotten about, play equipment like swing sets and tree houses can be home to stinging insects. Overwintering paper wasps will emerge and tend to set up their nests on these playsets that are usually undisturbed in the winter.

Storage Areas:
Outside storage areas including sheds, under wooden decks and garages are all great places for wasp and hornet nests to be built. When visiting a home for a stinging insect infestation, inspect these and pay special attention to the corners and edges where nests tend to be built. Using a spray with a foaming action along with a far-reaching stream is a great choice for these insects you don’t want to get very close to.

Air Conditioning Units:
Typically found in the south, fire ants are attracted to the current and electromagnetic field of air conditioner condensers, potentially leading to a short circuit and malfunction. To both control and prevent these infestations, we recommend using a combination solution. A bait that has both an insect growth regulator to prevent rebound and an adulticide for immediate knockdown is your best bet in controlling these stinging insects.

Article originally appeared in PMP Magazine