" Spider Spray Specialists "
Integrated Pest Management
519-819-9256
Spiders - Ants - Wasp Control
General Pest Control - Wasps , Insects
In Ontario there are Literally thousands of different species of pests that have a history of living in or invading , human habitation . Pests cause damage to structures , eat human foods and spread disease , and cause many other threats .
In this section we will discuss the more common Pests in Southern Ontario .
Bees and Wasps as we know are very active in the summer and fall months in our region . During the fall months Bees and wasps are at there maximum in terms of size , there nests are large , colony populations are at there peak as well this time of year , simply due to the fact that they have been busy foraging and growing there nest all summer long .
The most common ones that we will encounter in our region are paper wasps , yellow jackets , mud daubers , bald faced hornets , honey bees and bumble bees.
Yellow Jackets
Yellow Jackets are easily distinguishable by there yellow and black coloring . They build football sized nests in trees or in soffits of homes. They will also build there nests in the ground and wall voids in your home as well . It is important to make sure you do not leave entrance points around your home , inspect areas and close them off prior to yellow jackets finding these spots to build there nests. Typically they will start building there nests in the spring , when the female is pregnant .
Yellow Jackets particularly the females are very aggressive and will sting repeatedly so do not provoke them , especially during the warmer times of the day , as they are very active foraging and bringing nutrients back to there nests.
Bald Faced Hornets
Bald Face Hornets are common tree nesting wasps . A common characteristic are three white stripes on the end of there body . They are known for constructing very large nests that can have as many as 700 live inside. They are very defensive so proceed with caution around a nest if found .
The sting of a baldfaced hornet is similar to most other social bees and wasps. A typical reaction includes immediate pain and/or swelling at the sting site. Other sensations may include burning and itching. For some individuals the initial swelling may be painful and increase to affect a larger area. One unique behavior of baldfaced hornets is the ability to squirt venom from the stinger into the eyes of nest intruders. The venom causes immediate watering of the eyes and temporary blindness.
If a nest must be controlled, home owners should seriously consider hiring a pest control professional too remove bald faced hornets and their nests.
Paper Wasps
Paper wasps are 3/4 to 1 inch long, slender, narrow-waisted wasps with smoky black wings that are folded lengthwise when at rest .
Paper wasps are a social wasp consisting of small colonies of 12-20 individuals.
Adult wasps feed on nectar and make ‘paper’ nests by mixing saliva and wood fibres.
Nests are exposed and suspended by a short stalk under an overhang, often on a pergola, the eaves of a roof or in a shrub or tree.
Mud Daubers
Mud daubers are long, slender wasps about 1-inch in length that build their nests from mud. You wil often see these mud nests on the side of houses and eaves.
It is this solitary nature that makes mud dauber wasps unlikely to sting unless they become threatened by physical contact
Honey Bee
Honeybee hives have long provided humans with honey and beeswax. Such commercial uses have spawned a large bee keeping industry, though many species still occur in the wild.
All honeybees are social and cooperative insects. Bees of all varieties live on nectar and pollen. Without bees, pollination would be difficult and time consuming - it is estimated that one-third of the human food supply depends on insect pollination.
Honeybees will also sometimes build their nests in homes, either in walls or attics.
Bumble Bee
Bumblebees are social insects that are characterized by black and yellow body hairs, often in bands.
They form colonies, which are usually much less extensive than those of honey bees.
Queen and worker bumblebees can sting . Unlike a honey bee's stinger, a bumblebee's stinger lacks barbs, so it can sting repeatedly without injuring itself.Bumblebee species are not normally aggressive, but will sting in defense of their nest, or if harmed.
Bumblebees are very effective pollinators. There fast workers they visit twice as many flowers per minute as honeybees, and because of their size, they can carry relatively heavy loads, which enables them to make long foraging trips.