Stinging Insects

Trees or shrubs in your yard, spaces under your home’s roof eaves, or the soil next to a walkway leading to your front door are all potential nesting sites for stinging insects. Stinging insects are opportunistic pests that move into our outdoor spaces to build nests near food and water sources. Some of our Serve properties’ most likely stinging insect intruders include wasps, yellow jackets, mud daubers, hornets, and carpenter bees. While these pests are harmless and, in fact, extremely helpful when living outside away from us, they are some of the most unwanted pests to invade our yards and homes.

Stinging insects have a stinger located on the end of the abdomen. While the stinger is vital to their survival, helping them capture prey and defend themselves against danger, its what makes them dangerous to us. Though some species are much more aggressive (yellow jackets) than others (carpenter bees), any stinging insect will sting a person or animal they believe to be a threat. When stinging insects are nesting in your yard, your dog sniffing a shrub, your kids playing on a swing set, or you working in the garden could unintentionally elicit a painful sting. These insects are most active during the spring and summer; their fuses are short as they are frantically moving around trying to gather food to bring back to the colony. Having a stinging insect nest in a high traffic area of your property is a danger and should be removed promptly by a professional.

If stinging insects ever become a problem on your property, the professionals at Serve can help. We will put into place a pest control program that will provide year-round relief. In addition, the following prevention tips can help you protect your yard and home from stinging insects: