You often find stinging insects in Ottawa over the summer. Hornets are just one type, and they can be difficult to manage. Quik-Kill Pest Eliminators provides hornet removal and control as part of our Ottawa pest control. You can have hornets and other stinging insects removed from your yard with just one call.
Hornet Species Identification: Recognizing Different Hornet Types
There’s only one true hornet in Ottawa; the European hornet. These insects range from 3/4 to 1 inch. They’re typically brown and yellow with light-colored faces. European hornets build paper nests, usually in out-of-the-way locations. The average European hornet nest has 200-400 workers.
You can also find bald faced hornets around Ottawa. These aren’t actually hornets; bald faced hornets are wasps. But they’re still commonly found around homes in Ottawa. These wasps are black and white with white faces and about a 1/2 inch long.
There are a few differences you can look for when it comes to hornet and wasp identification, especially when it comes to telling wasps apart from bees. Wasps have smooth bodies, while bees are fuzzy. Wasps also have a narrow “waist” at their abdomens; bees are rounder.
If you’ve confirmed that there are hornets or wasps around your home, there are some things you should understand before you start trying to get rid of them.
Stings And Health Risks: The Dangers Of Hornet Encounters
Hornet stings can be painful. They use their venom to incapacitate prey and protect the nest. Most people will experience relatively mild symptoms after a hornet sting. These might include a raised welt, itching, swelling, warmth, and hives near the sting site. If you have an allergy to the venom, you might develop hives beyond the sting site, difficulty breathing, swelling in the throat, or nausea. You should seek medical care if you experience any of these serious symptoms after a hornet sting.
The hornets and wasps in Ottawa aren’t particularly aggressive, which means they won’t seek out people to sting. But they will sting if provoked, which means hornet and wasp nest removal can be dangerous. The hornets or wasps may swarm if the nest is threatened, with each insect stinging multiple times.
Experienced Hornet Control: Restoring Peace with Professional Control
Because hornets sting, it isn’t your best option to try and remove their nests on your own. Instead, you should call Quik-Kill Pest Eliminators. We’ll get to your home as quickly as possible—on the same day as your call. Then, we’ll begin our free inspection of your property, looking for hornets, hornet nests, and any factors that could be attracting them to your home. Based on what we find, we’ll create a plan of action for treating your yard for hornets. We pride ourselves on our state-of-the-art treatment methods for hornet control. With Quik-Kill Pest Eliminators, you’ll know you’re getting professional home pest control that you can trust.
Creating a Hornet-Free Zone: Essential Steps For Prevention
Once we’ve removed the hornets from your yard, you can take steps to keep them from coming back. With these hornet and wasp prevention tips, you can minimize the chances of a repeat infestation around your home:
- If you often see hornets at night, turn off your porch lights
- Seal any cracks or holes in the walls to prevent hornets from entering your house
- Make sure all window screens are in good repair
- Cover any food that’s outdoors, including trash cans
- Install plants that repel wasps, such as basil, rosemary, and marigolds
These steps can help you keep hornets and wasps away from your home and yard. Although you won’t always be able to avoid them, you can reduce factors that attract hornets. And next time you find a hornet or wasp nest near your home, you know you’ve got help with Quik-Kill Pest Eliminators.