Stinging insects are eco-important, as many help to pollinate crops and plants, and predatory species help to control populations of nuisance insects. However, having a stinging insect colony build their nest in your yard or on your home can be a recipe for disaster, especially for those people allergic to their venom. As their name describes, stinging insects have a stinger that extends off the end of their abdomen, which is filled with venom. They sting their prey to paralyze them, and when they feel threatened, they will deliver painful stings. Those allergic to their venom can have severe reactions that require immediate medical attention. Species of stinging insects that are common in our area are wasps, yellow jackets, mud daubers, bees, and hornets.

Keeping stinging insects from building a nest on your property is a difficult task. They are outdoor pests and will take advantage of any food, water, or areas of shelter they discover. Stinging insects feed on a variety of things, including nectar, proteins, other insects, and honeydew produced by garden pests. Our yards often offer them plenty of places to forage for food, such as gardens, flowering landscaping plants, open trash, and outdoor eating areas. Our yards also provide plenty of nesting spots. Depending on whether they are ground or aerial nesters, stinging insects place their nests in a variety of locations, including tree branches, tree cavities, bushes, on utility poles, under roof eaves, in doorways, and inside ground holes. Sometimes they will take advantage of an opening in structures to build a nest in the chimney, the attic, a wall void, or on open beams.

Stinging insect prevention tips: Keep shrubs, bushes, and tree branches trimmed back from the exterior of your house. Limit the amount of flowering vegetation planted close to the outside of your home. Keep tight-fitting lids on trash cans, compost bins, and recycling bins. After eating outside, quickly clean the area and take leftovers inside. Keep stinging insects out of your home by placing covers over vents and chimney openings. Seal up cracks in the foundation, exterior walls, and roofline of your house.