When you’re spending time outside, there’s one thing that can turn a nice day into a terrifying one and that’s finding wasps flying around. These pests in Augusta, Maine are common in the spring to fall months, and they can be scary to encounter because of their tendency to sting.

However, many people have a lot of questions about wasps including how to tell them apart from other stinging insects such as bees. You can identify wasps by looking for a few characteristics that set them apart.

First of all, wasps have more long, lean bodies compared to other stinging insects, and they also tend to be brown to red in color with yellow stripes. Lastly, one of the best ways to identify wasps over other species is to look at their texture. Wasps appear smooth and shiny and aren’t furry or fuzzy.

It’s also important to note that hornets are just a subset of wasps, so all hornets are a type of wasp but not all wasps are hornets.

Are Wasps Beneficial To The Environment?

While most people know that bees are good for ecosystems because they are pollinators, not everyone knows that wasps do this, too. Wasps are an important part of the environment as they pollinate all kinds of plants and contribute to food production all along the food chain.

However, wasps are also dangerous to have around your property. They can pose real dangers to both people and pets, and this is especially true for those who are allergic.

Since many wasps species can sting over and over and inject venom multiple times, even people who aren’t allergic to the venom could end up in the hospital after repeated stings. It’s also hard to know for sure if you’re allergic unless you’ve been stung, so it’s a good idea to be cautious and avoid being stung in the first place.

How To Keep Wasps Away

While it’s not always possible to completely prevent wasps, there are some steps you can take to make your property less appealing to them. The following tips will discourage wasps from establishing nests around your property:

Avoid overplanting, especially flowering plants, as well as overwatering.
Keep your yard well-maintained which includes trimming hedges, bushes, and trees.
Wasps are often attracted to water sources, so make sure to remove any standing water from your property and ensure that rainwater can drain.
Also, if you have hot tubs, fountains, or other water features, make sure to treat them with the correct chemicals.
Regularly mow the grass and remove any garbage from your yard.
If you're eating outside, make sure to clean up any crumbs or spills right away.

The Only Safe Way To Remove Nests

If you’re already dealing with wasps around your property, and especially if you have a nest, the best way to handle the issue is with help from Bug Busterzzz Pest Control.

Trying to remove a wasp nest on your own is dangerous, even if you think it’s inactive because this is when you’re most likely to be stung. Instead, let our expert team remove the issue.

We also provide ongoing commercial and residential pest control options to keep wasps and other stinging insects away from good. Contact us today at (207) 331-5333 to request your free quote.