Most Common Wasp Infestations on San Diego Properties

Articles » Pest Control » Most Common Wasp Infestations on San Diego Properties

Wasps in San Diego are a common pest problem, in both residential and commercial properties. They come into your property looking for food, a nesting site, a protected environment or sometimes by accident. From early spring to the middle of summer is the time when the nests are in the expansion phase and during this time, they will normally need to acquire more protein to feed its larvae. They are insects of the Hymenoptera order and the Apocrita sub-order. At times confused with hornets and honey bees. There are three main types of wasps that I have seen in San Diego properties over my extensive career as an exterminator.

• Mud Dauber
  • A non-social wasp, they do not tend to defend their nests and very rarely sting. Normally of black coloration with yellow threads on its waist. Their nests are built from hard mud and they are normally created in undisturbed areas like attic spaces, ceilings and walls. During the winter season, the nests can be removed safely without spraying.
• Paper Wasps
  • Social wasps. Although they tend to shy away from humans, they tend to defend their nests more when it is near a window or door. Normally about 1” long with a slender waist and long legs. The easiest way of identifying them is by the shape of the nest, this hangs like an open umbrella and has open cells that can be seen from below (like a honey bee honeycomb shape).
• Yellowjacket Wasps
  • Social wasps, they tend to defend their nests more aggressively than other wasps. They normally are medium sized of black coloration with jagged bands of yellow. Yellowjacket nests are very similar to a Mud Dauber nest, however, they are enclosed by a paper made from fibers scraped out of wood and mixed with saliva.

Wasp control should be completed by a professional that can do it safely and with the proper products. Either by trapping, baiting or chemically exterminating them. Remember that as wasp stingers have no barbs, they can be used repeatedly and more when they get inside of the clothing. It does not matter if the problem is on the exterior or the interior, wasps create a safety hazard and sometimes can trigger life-threatening allergies in certain people. There are close to 225,000 hospital visits and as many as 100 deaths per year related to wasp attacks. Wasps will try to sting you or anyone that is close by if they sense that a poison is being applied to their nests, and even the toughest chemical might not stop all the wasps from coming back out so do be especially careful if you come near them.

For a safe control of your wasp problem give us a call at (619) 421 – 2101 or send us a Message Online, so that one of our expert technicians will assist you. With the proper tools and experience, we will be able to resolve your situation in a safe and environmentally conscious way.