There are a lot of “home remedies” for stinging pests, but many of them aren’t especially effective. Others are incredibly dangerous, and the consequences of trying to handle a nest yourself could even be deadly.
Some people (not stinging pest experts) recommend waiting until dark and spraying a nest with a garden hose, but this is incredibly dangerous. While the force of the water may tear the nest apart, all it does to the stinging pests is make them angry. When bees, wasps, or hornets believe their home is under attack, that puts them in attack mode too. And, if they find you, they will sting. Professional pest control providers understand the risks of handling stinging pests. Plus, they have the right gear (those bee suits are more than just a fashion statement!) and the proper treatments to get rid of bees, hornets, and wasps for good. The Risks of Handling Stinging Pests Yourself To put it simply, stinging pests are dangerous. If you are allergic, a single sting can be deadly. And, if you’ve never been stung before, you might be allergic and not know it. Even if you aren’t allergic, you can still suffer serious health consequences. In fact, multiple stings can be deadly for anyone. The accumulation of the venom leads to a toxic reaction in healthy individuals who don’t have an allergy, creating a medical emergency. One woman who sent a message to us online discovered the dangers of stinging pests the hard way. She reached out about a yellow jacket nest, and we offered to come out and treat the problem. But, someone online convinced her that waiting until nightfall and spraying the nest with a garden hose would be a smarter choice than hiring a professional for a treatment. She went out to spray the nest and was stung 17 times. She had never been stung before, and it turns out that she is allergic. She rushed to the ER, and the cost of her medical treatment was around $20,000. After getting out of the hospital, she called and told us she wished she had listened to a professional. Other Dangers of Stinging Pests A single, softball-sized nest has the potential to be deadly. While many people worry about their own safety, there’s more to it than that. If you have an untreated nest and a neighbor gets stung, you could be liable for not handling the situation properly. This means you could be responsible for paying medical bills and other forms of compensation if someone else gets hurt. At Ed’s Dead Bug, we always do same day or next day appointments for stinging pests. If you have our $33-a-month warranty plan, there’s no additional charge. If you just need a single service, we’ll address the problem for only $99. In either case, you can rest assured knowing that the stinging pests are removed the right way. Not only does this keep you and your family safe, but it keeps everyone else in your neighborhood safe too.
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When people hear the word “wasp,” their skin may crawl. Plus, European paper wasps look pretty scary. These black and bright yellow, slender-bodied insects resemble yellow jackets, and most people would assume that they need to be afraid of potential stings.
But European paper wasps are actually yellow jacket imposters. While they look like their much-feared counterparts, they are actually pretty different. Here’s what you need to know about the European paper wasp. Understanding the European Paper Wasp As the name may suggest, the European paper wasp is native to Europe. They are actually an invasive species in North America, being introduced to the continent in the 1970s. However, they have since managed to make much of it home, including the west coast, upper Midwest, Northeast, and even Hawaii and Florida. These black and yellow flyers survive on insects, hunting live ones for food. They travel through shrubs, trees, and gardens during the day looking for other bugs that would make a great meal. If they come across sugary treats or a picnic, they really don’t care. That’s not what they eat so, unless other insects that tend to make a meal of are nearby, they’ll keep on going. Then, they head to the nest at night to rest. When they’re looking for a place to nest, they usually settle on a structure. Under the eaves of houses and buildings are common favorites. However, they will also seek out hollow areas in manmade structures, including voids in playground equipment, walls, roofs, and vent systems. You might even see them nesting on items left outside, like the edges of a trashcan, under a patio chair, or in a crack of a picnic table. With a European paper wasp nest, the comb of cells is usually visible. This is different from yellow jackets, which typically enclose the cells in a paper covering. As a result, you can generally tell by looking at the nest whether you are dealing with paper wasps or yellow jackets, even if you can’t get a good look at the insect itself. When European Paper Wasps Are Dangerous (or Possibly Deadly) By and large, European paper wasps are more of a nuisance than a threat. In most cases, they are pretty docile. When they are foraging, they usually aren’t aggressive. Even at the nest, they are only mildly aggressive and don’t tend to swarm. On most days, they’ll just go about their business. However, there is an exception. If a European paper wasp is thirsty, you are dealing with a grumpy critter. There’s an increased likelihood that you’ll get stung. It’s as if they aren’t in the mood to deal with your presence, so they’d rather sting you so you’ll buzz off. But, it’s also important to note that people can be allergic to paper wasp stings. In those cases, a single sting could be deadly. Getting Rid of European Paper Wasps Since European paper wasps are pretty mellow, you can sometimes just knock the nest down with a broom. Just make sure you wear a heavy jacket and eye protection, protecting yourself from possible stings and shielding your eyes from spraying venom. But, if you’re allergic, then hiring a professional is the best way to go. As far as keeping European paper wasps away, there isn’t a lot you can do. There isn’t anything on the market that will prevent them from nesting. But that doesn’t mean you don’t have options. At Ed’s Dead Bug, we will handle European paper wasp nests. Plus, we guarantee our results and offer wasp treatment under our warranty. We’ll do what it takes to ensure paper wasps aren’t a problem for you and that the situation is addressed to your satisfaction. Bald-faced hornets are a zebra-colored relative of the yellow jacket. These black-and-white insects are feared by many, mainly due to their powerful and incredibly painful sting. Plus, they are found all across the United States, so there’s a decent shot nearly everyone has heard of or encountered them during their lifetime.
Understanding the Bald-Faced Hornet The bald-faced hornet gets its name from its unique color pattern. While the body is mainly black, the face what white markings, reminiscent of bald spots. Though they are related to yellow jackets, these flying critters are significantly larger than most of their brethren. When it comes to their lifecycle, the tale of the bald-faced hornet is actually a little sad. During the winter, only the newly-hatched queen survives. Every other member of the colony dies. But that doesn’t stop this stinging species from being a potentially bothersome pest. Every spring, the queen crafts a new nest, which is made of chewed wood. She rebuilds the whole colony from scratch, laying an egg in every compartment and raising the first batch of offspring on her own. The first workers don’t emerge for about a month, then they take over feeding and expanding the nest. This gives the queen a chance to focus on egg-laying, and she does that in spades. At its peak, a single nest can have 100 to 400 workers or more. Once the colony starts to decline, larger compartments are created, making it easier to raise new queens and the males who will head out to mate. Some consider the bald-faced hornet to be beneficial to the environment. They may kill smaller insects, including flies. However, they don’t have anything to do with plant or flower pollination and only occasionally scavenge for sources of sugar. As a result, some believe that these critters aren’t great additions to most communities. The Bald-Faced Hornet Nest Bald-faced hornets may build nests in a few places. Dense trees or shrubs are certainly favorites. However, tree hollows also look quite welcoming to these stinging insects. Usually, they try to pick a location that’s 10 to 12 feet in the air. However, they might select a different location if it is fairly sheltered and unlikely to be disturbed. This includes the sides of structures and under house eaves. A nest tends to be gray in color, looking a bit like sheets of newspaper wrapped around each other to form a ball. There’s a single opening that serves as an entrance and exit, usually near the bottom of the ball. At peak colony size, the nest can reach the size of a basketball or bigger. When the queen is looking for a place to hole up during the winter, she may head indoors. A gap in a roof or near an eave might look mighty fine when the weather turns cold. When Bald-Faced Hornets Are Dangerous (and Even Deadly) Bald-faced hornets are incredibly social and pretty aggressive. They will sting if they think the nest is under attack or in danger, and that can lead to some trouble. A bald-faced hornet can deliver multiple stings, and those stings can be fatal. Plus, since a whole group may attack, you are potentially exposing yourself to a lot of venom. This increases the likelihood of death from a potentially serious allergic reaction. Getting Rid of Bald-Faced Hornets If you decide to remove a bald-faced hornet nest yourself, wearing a bee suit is a must. It will reduce your chance of being stung. However, you also need to have additional protection. A bald-faced hornet can spray venom, so wear goggles that fully seal around your eyes for safety. Then, you can spray the nest in the evening and, suggesting you don’t see any additional activity the next day, remove the nest once the hornets are dead. But, since disturbing a nest can trigger an attack and a bee suit isn’t completely impenetrable, it’s best to call in pest control professionals. They will have the right equipment and the know-how to deal with the bald-faced hornets and their nest safely. At Ed’s Dead Bug, we have treatment options that will handle bald-faced hornet nests in trees, shrubs, and on structures. Plus, we guarantee our results. We’ll do what it takes to ensure your bald-faced hornet problem is solved to your satisfaction. When you think of pest control professionals, you probably see them as a solution to a problem. Technically, that’s true. When rodents or insects are an issue, the services they offer can be the answer.
But that isn’t all a pest control professional is. In many ways, these specialists are more like home doctors. Their goal isn’t just to rid your property of a pest, but to make your house healthy. If you’d like to learn more about how pest control professionals are more like home doctors, here’s what you need to know. It All Starts with a Patient History When a pest control professional arrives at your home, the first step they take is to learn more about the problem. They talk with the homeowner to learn more about the insects or rodents that are creating the illness. Additionally, they get details about the symptoms, which can be incredibly important if the homeowner isn’t sure what kind of pest is present. Completing a Pest Control Diagnostic With the initial information in hand, it’s time to find out the cause of the issue. A pest control specialist will perform a thorough exam, assessing the evidence and the symptoms. Their goal during this phase is to determine the nature of the home’s illness, not unlike a doctor figuring out what’s going wrong when a person isn’t well. Pest Control Professional Prescribed Treatment After a diagnosis is made, it’s time for treatment. Since the pest control professional now understands the nature of the illness, they can choose a course of action. This may include medications in the form of pesticide or rodenticide. Additionally, it could involve excising the problem by removing harborage, just as a doctor would cut out a tumor, or performing house surgery by doing necessary repairs. Physicals, Checkups, and Maintenance Meds Once the acute illness is handled, that doesn’t mean the house doctor’s work is done. Instead, pest control professionals can do more to ensure your home’s long-term health. For example, regular maintenance and checkups can be used to keep a problem from recurring. This can include maintenance medicines in the form of pest prevention products that are designed to stop insects or rodents from making a house ill again. As you can see, a pest control professional isn’t just a problem-solver. They are also a home doctor who strives to do everything they can to keep your house healthy and free of illnesses. That way, both you and your home can remain in the best shape possible. Who to Call When You Need a Home Doctor At Ed’s Dead Bug, pride ourselves in our ability to treat ill homes. We have a variety of treatment options to handle a wide array of pests, including insects and rodents. Along with handling emergencies, we can apply preventative treatments on a regular schedule. Plus, we guarantee our results. We’ll do what it takes to ensure your home is healthy and remains so for the long-term. Prevention Matters! Why Exclusion is the Key to Keeping Rodents at Bay!
Let’s face facts; no one wants rodents scurrying through their homes. Unless you have a pet rat or hamster, the ticking of tiny nails on the floor and scratching in walls or attic spaces will make your skin crawl. Plus, you have to deal with droppings! Those little specks of fecal matter dotting your floors and counters. To put it simply, yuck. When you end up with a rodent problem, you are usually stuck trapping. That isn’t a fun process. You have to call a pest control professional, wait for the traps to catch critters, and then have them removed. All in all, it’s just not pleasant. Luckily, there is a better way to keep rodents at pay. What’s the magic word? Exclusion! What is Rodent Exclusion? Rodent exclusion is the process of making sure that rats, mice, and similar critters can’t make it inside your home. It involves closing up any potential points of entry, sealing up holes with effective barriers that rodents can’t chew through or squeeze past. What Do You Need to Do to Keep Rodents Out? Sealing your home up to prevent rodents from getting in requires a pretty basic approach. The goal is to find any entry points and close them off, ensuring the rodents can’t get inside. Begin by inspecting every point of entry. Look at the seals around your doors and make sure they are in good shape. The garage door seal is the first place we look. Mice only need a ¼ inch to get in (about the size of a #2 pencil), and rats only need around 1/2 inch or larger to gain access. That means a subpar seal could give them more than enough room. Next, check around your vents and where any pipes come through the walls, such as bathroom or kitchen fixtures. You want to look at the interior and exterior of your home, as dryer vents, roof vents, and similar openings can end up with holes around them over time. Then, take a look at your crawlspace vents. It’s another potential point of entry and, if a rodent can get under your home, they can find a way inside. Rodents have amazing chewing power, their teeth can work through sheetrock, siding, and other materials if they decide they want to make their way inside. If you find any holes, no matter how small, you need to seal them up tight. Don’t use spray foam for the holes as a rodent’s teeth can cut through it like butter. Additionally, avoid steel wool. Not only is steel wool flammable it also rots. Plus, a rodent’s teeth can chew right through it. Instead, you need to need to find a more robust solution. Exactly what you need to use depends on where the hole is located. Often, it is best to contact a pest control specialist to see which solutions will provide you with the best protection based on your needs. Why Rodent Exclusion is the Best Method? Rodent exclusion should always be your first choice. Why? First, it keeps rodents out of your home, ensuring you don’t hear those little feet scurrying about and that you don’t have to deal with the contamination from pests and droppings. Second, it is cost-effective. Getting your home squared away may require an initial investment, that’s true. After all, you do have to pay for repairs to your house, and those can add up. But, after that, you experience long-term savings. It’s much cheaper to seal up your home than to keep calling in a pest control specialist to handle an infestation. Plus, rodents that get inside can chew through wiring, plumbing, HVAC vents, and a ton of other stuff. By paying to seal your home up, you can avoid expenses related to that kind of damage too. Finally, it helps you maintain a healthy home. Rodents can carry about 35 different diseases (some of which are incredibly dangerous) and may trigger allergies too. Keeping rodents out is always better than dealing with recurring infestations, so make sure to invest in your home and get it sealed up tight. Make sure to call Ed's Dead Bug Pest control for all of your pest control needs! iseedeadbugs.com #edsdeadbug #wemakemousecalls #iseedeadbugs #teamdeadbug #teamgreenbug Shelters, food banks, religious organizations, and so many other nonprofits provide valuable services to
their communities, all while battling with tight budgets. Recently, Ed’s Dead Bug joined Pest Relief International, a nonprofit organization that ensures that every organization helping their communities has access to the pest control services they need without any of the financial burdens. We are looking for nonprofit organizations that could use our help, ensuring that they can continue doing their good work without having to worry about pests like rodents and bugs. Our goal is to help these nonprofits eliminate and prevent pests without them having to worry about the financial burden. Our Free Services for Nonprofits in Need In association with Pest Relief International, Ed’s Dead Bug is happy to offer the following services to nonprofits in need: Rodent Control Trapping, and Exclusion Mattress Encasements to Ensure Safe, Sanitary Sleeping Options in Shelters These services can be vital in the fight against vector species, particularly in sleeping spaces. Ed’s Dead Bug is Looking for Nonprofits in Need! Ed’s Dead Bug is currently looking for nonprofits to help, including religious organizations, food banks, shelters, and more! If you are part of a nonprofit that could use our service or know of one that could, please contact us or Andrea Hancock at Pest Relief International. We’d be happy to do our part to keep our community free of pests. If you want to support the great work of Pest Relief International, you can help too! They are always taking donations of supplies and financial support, and can match volunteers to opportunities where you can make a difference in your community. Click the link to learn more about donating: www.pestreliefinternational.com/donate Warranty Service Keeping your home free of bugs long-term requires more than a single treatment. Treatments designed to prevent ants, spiders, and stinging pests from making your home theirs don’t last forever, so quarterly maintenance is key. With Ed’s Dead Bug warranty program, you get preventative treatments every three months. This creates an effective barrier against a variety of insect pests, ensuring they don’t take up residence in and around your house. Protection You Can Afford Many people believe that pest warranty services are expensive when that simply isn’t the case. At Ed’s Dead Bug, we make pest prevention affordable, ensuring you can protect one of your biggest investments: your home. Our warranty service plan is just $33 a month. For that price, you get quarterly treatments designed to keep ants, spiders, and stinging pests from getting comfortable in and around your home. All of our treatments are designed to yield the best outcome. After all, pest control products are like medications; if you use the wrong ones, you don’t get the results you need. Additionally, all of our pest control products are as safe as they are effective, including for you, your family, your pets, and the environment. Plus, as part of our $33-a-month warranty service program, we rotate the products we use, ensuring you get ideal coverage at a price that makes sense for your budget. Why Sign Up for a Warranty Service? Ultimately, out $33-a-month warranty service plan provides you with unparalleled peace of mind. You can rest assured knowing that your home is fully protected against ants, spiders, and stinging pests for one low monthly costs. The warranty service plan also provides you with predictability. For the duration of your contract, your price won’t change for treatments involving all of the covered pests. This makes budgeting a breeze! Plus, if you notice an ant, spider, or stinging pest problem between visits, we’ll come out and handle it for no additional cost. This means that you never have to worry about new service fees for any covered pest. How Does It Work? At Ed’s Dead Bug, we understand the value in simplicity. That is why we make sure that our $33-a- month plan is easy for you every step of the way. After completing the contract, you’ll receive a monthly bill. We offer a variety of payment options, including an online portal that allows you to pay online. Your preventative treatments are scheduled once every quarter. We understand that life gets hectic, and remembering your quarterly appointment is coming up isn’t always easy. As a courtesy, we send a reminder email before every scheduled treatment and give you the option to reschedule if the need arises. When your warranty service day comes, for outdoor treatments, you don’t even have to be home if your property is accessible. We will come by at the scheduled time and apply the proper treatments, and you’ll always receive a notification after our visit is complete. At Ed’s Dead Bug, we want to make our warranty service easy and affordable every step of the way. If you want to learn more, give us a call or send an email. We are always happy to discuss our warranty service in detail, ensuring you are confident in your choice to sign up. Honeybees are a vital part environment. As a pollinator, they help ensure that nearly 400 types of agricultural products (like apples, almonds, and cucumbers) are able to grow and thrive. Plus, honeybees make delicious honey! When it comes to pest management, Ed’s Dead Bug works hard to protect the helpful bees in our communities while ensuring the proper management of other pests. Here’s how we do our part to protect the amazing, hard working honey bees. How Ed’s Dead Bug Helps Save the Bees Before we treat any area, we accurately identify the insects present. This ensures that honey bees aren’t accidentally put in harm's way, protecting the natural ecosystem. When performing general pest prevention and elimination treatments for other stinging pests, we treat any eaves with Fifra 25(b) exempt products. These won’t transfer to any nearby bee colonies, ensuring a single honey bee that is passing through can’t carry the treatment back to their hive. We also never use neonicotinoids on the exterior or a home or business, and only use it in the interior when absolutely necessary. We also use minimal chemicals for the removal of any pests. The majority of situations only require Fifra 25(b) products, and many exposed nests can be removed without any chemical treatment at all. When applied by licensed pest control professionals, all the products we use are safe for pets and people, as well as the honey bees that are so essential for the environment. What Can You Do to Help the Bee Population? Not long ago, the news swirled around the internet saying that helpful honey bee was in crisis and their numbers fell at alarming rates. While it is true that colony collapse disorder did impact the population (and one obscure bee species in Hawaii became endangered), that isn’t the case for many of the honeybee species you see buzzing around your yard anymore. Skilled beekeepers have worked to replenish colonies, and local laws ensured that wild hives were handled with care, usually by relocating them to safe areas. Now, most honey bees are doing pretty well, but that doesn’t mean you can’t chip in by helping their continued recovery. Here’s how: Plant flowers or flowering trees Bees thrive on pollen, making flowering plants and trees their primary food source. Nearly any common landscape flowers and flowering trees can help the bees get a meal, so consider adding some to your landscaping. As a bonus, they can also improve the look of your property, upping the curb appeal. Don’t cut down your dandelions right away Dandelions (those little sunshine buttons that dot most people’s yards) might be considered a weed by some, but are actually an excellent source of pollen for honey bees. While you don’t have to let them overtake your landscape, consider allowing them to bloom until you need to cut your grass so they bees can enjoy them for a while. Place small water trays near flowering plants and trees Bees, like any other living creature, need water to thrive. In periods of dry weather, place small dishes (or coffee can lids) filled with water near your flowering plants and trees. Just make sure to change the water daily. Otherwise, you may invite mosquitoes to breed in your yard (and no one wants that!). Call Ed’s Dead Bug to Remove Any Nest
It takes a significant amount of care and attention to properly remove established nests, particularly for stinging insects. If you spot a nest, contact Ed’s Dead Bug. We know exactly what needs to be done to ensure that everything is managed safely and correctly. ![]() "Why do we have "Dead Bug" as our name but dress our kids as bugs for Halloween?" Answer: We LOVE bugs! (Bugs, insects, arachnids, you get it) just not in the house! By studying them, we understand which "bugs" pose a problem for a homeowner. We find the term "exterminator" very offensive. We're not in the business of eradication, just home protection. We take our job very seriously and vow to protect any insects that do not pose a threat. Especially honey and bumblebees. We truly offer a greener, better solution to your pest management needs by understanding each local pest and how to effectively protect your home from tiny, unwanted invaders with or without chemicals, depending on your situation. Not all treatments are "one size fits all", call to customize yours today! 360-763-1040. #edsdeadbug #OlyPestControl #Halloween #beelivesmatter Keywords: Olympia Pest Control, Lacey Pest Control, Tumwater Pest Control, Thurston County Pest Control, Mice Olympia, Rats Olympia, Spiders Olympia, Mice Lacey, Rats Lacey, Spiders Lacey, Mice Tumwater Rats Tumwater, Spiders Tumwater Yes, our daughter was helping Daddy treat an apartment for fleas! *She is wearing the proper PPE, per the label that they were using.*
We are family owned and operated and will offer family friendly service. We make mouse calls! Serving Olympia, Lacey and Tumwater! One time services start at $149. Quarterly plans start at $99. We offer affordable, flexible pest management for general pests including; All ants, Spiders, Cockroaches, Rats and mice, Yellow jackets, hornets, paper wasps, Silverfish, earwigs, carpet beetles, pill bugs, centipedes and millipedes. Please call for estimates on fleas and carpet beetles. |
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