BEES WASPS CICADA KILLERS EXTERMINATOR PEST CONTROL NAPLES FORT MYERS SOUTHWEST FLORIDA

BEES AND WASPS

THE HONEY BEE

                Honey Bees get their name from the sweet yellowish to brownish fluid they make from the nectar of flowers and use as food.  Honey Bees not only provide honey and wax, but as pollinators are of far greater importance.  They are responsible for a large share of insect stings, although many stings blamed on bees are actually done by yellowjackets.  More people die of allergic reaction to Bee stings than of rattle snake bites each year.  Bees can only sting you once.  When stinging them pull away and leave the back half of their abdomen, with the poison sack and the stinger imbedded in your skin.  This action kills s the insect that stung you.  This poison sack can continue to inject poison into your body for a few minutes after the sting.  They are best controlled at night using dusts and contact sprays.  Queen Bees lay as many as 1,500 to 2000 eggs per day, and may live as long as 5 years.  Worker Bees only live 5 to 7 weeks in the summer and shorter during the winter.

THE PAPER WASP

The Paper Wasp gets its name from the paper like material of which they construct their nests.  This wasp is recognized by its 5/8 to3/4 inch brownish to black bodies with yellow or red markings.  The Paper Wasps hang their comb nests under twigs and branches of trees and shrubs which can cause concern when ornamental shrubs and hedges are trimmed or fruit is being picked form trees.  They also like to hang their nests from porch ceilings, the top member of window and door frames, soffits, eaves, attic rafters, deck floor joists and railings, play ground equipment, almost any protected place imaginable.  If the nest is contacted or disturbed, the Paper Wasps on the nest at the time will defend the nest vigorously and the offender of the nest will probably get stung.  If in a breeze or wind when the Paper Wasps get disturbed, stand still and the wasps will fly around but will not follow you.  If you run the vacuum of wind from your movement will lead the wasps to you and you will get stung.  These wasps are beneficial insects by helping to control many types of insect pests.  If you need to control these wasps, it is essential that you control and kill the adults early in the morning or at night when all the wasps will be tending to the nest, then remove the nest.

THE MUDD DOBBER WASP

            The Mudd Dobber Wasp gets its name from the fact that they construct their next of mud.  They are typically a nuisance pest, building their mud nests on sheltered sites like eaves, porch ceilings, garages, sheds, barns, open attic, or any protected wall or structure.  The Mudd Dobber Wasp is recognized by its 1/2 to 1 inch very slender metallic black body.  The nest looks like a clump of mud stuck on to the side of a structure and as the young adult Mudd Dobbers emerge from the nest they leave small holes in the nest, showing the nest is old or inactive. The Mudd Dobber Wasp does not defend their nests, and only rarely sting.  These wasps are beneficial insects and help control spiders.  If control is needed, first treat and control the female Mudd Dobber Wasp and then remove the nest from the structure with a putty knife or scraper.  Activity can be discouraged in a given area by an application of a microencapsulated material on the structure.

THE CICADA KILLER 

                The Cicada Killer Wasp gets its name from the fact it hunts and puts a cicada in each of its nests as food for its young (larva).  The Cicada Killer is an ominous looking wasp that flies around homes and business in the spring and early summer being a nuisance.  Many people think this is a very large Yellowjacket.  This large wasp is recognized by measuring about 1 and 5/8 inch long and with a rusty to black color with yellowish markings on its abdomen.  It is also recognized by the large holes it borrows into the ground to lay its eggs.  Typically they use bare ground as nesting sites.  Each Cicada Killer digs a single borrow, then locates a cicada, stings it, and brings the paralyzed cicada back to the burrow.  One or 2 cicadas may be placed in each burrow and an egg is deposited on one of the cicadas.  The wasp larva feeds on the paralyzed cicada.  These large dangerous looking wasps, generally the females will not sing unless handled or stepped on, males will buzz people but cannot sting.  These insects are beneficial by helping control the cicada population.  If the Cicada Killer Wasp become too much of a nuisance, cover as much of the bare ground around your home or business or we can treat the bare ground area with limited effect over the nesting period.

                If you live in Naples, Fort Myers, or Southwest Florida call 239-455-4300 Collier Pest Control, Southwest Florida's Pest Authority, for a full explanation about bees, wasps or on any of our services or look us up on our web site at collierpestcontrol.com.  Remember Florida does not have to be shared with insects.

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