Just How Dangerous Are Yellow Jackets In Twin Falls

There is not one part of your Twin Falls property that they will favor, as yellow jackets can be found anywhere that humans are found. They will continue to build their paper carton nests either in the ground or in spaces such as attics or crawl spaces. With their trademark yellow jacket, these flying insects will become your worst nightmare if you let them.

Dangers Of Yellow Jackets

Yellow jackets pose a serious and significant health risk due to their stings. They are dangerous due to their:

• Proclivity for stinging
• Amount of venom they distribute
• Territorial and aggressive nature

Yellow jackets in Twin Falls are highly territorial and will sting humans repeatedly when they feel threatened, oftentimes sending people to the emergency room with severe allergic reactions. While, say, a honey bee stinger can be barbed, the yellow jacket is not hampered. At the first sign of noticing a yellow jacket nest, the safest strategy is to back away from it slowly. Furthermore, yellow jackets can be tricky to spot until there is a problem. They make their nests in trees and holes dug out by squirrels, moles, chipmunks, groundhogs, and other digging mammals. They also make nests in the ground. These nests are beneficial to yellow jackets because they protect them from predators. However, these ground nests are particularly dangerous because they're hard to see and an unsuspecting person may easily stumble upon them. The only indication of a ground nest is a small entry hole that yellow jackets use to access their home. 

How Do You Know If You’ve Been Stung By A Yellow Jacket?

Aside from the searing pain, a few signs that you might have been stung by a yellow jacket in Twin Falls are:

• coughing or wheezing
• problems breathing or swallowing, or having tightness in your throat
• changes to your skin, such as breaking out into hives
• feeling lightheaded or dizzy, or passing out
• vomiting or diarrhea

If you have been stung by a yellow jacket and are in anaphylaxis, call 911 immediately. For more minor stings, which can still be tremendously painful, try taking an antihistamine, use a mix of water and baking soda to treat the sting topically, use vinegar to reduce the itching, and in case of an emergency, carry an Epi-Pen. 

Ways To Prevent Yellow Jackets On Your Property

Twin Falls homeowners will want to do anything they can to keep yellow jackets off of their property. Here are a few tips for keeping populations under control are:

• Remove garbage frequently. 
• Reduce the wasp's access to food sources by keeping sweet food items stored properly. 
• Store trash in covered receptacles.
• Ensure that all doors and windows have screens that are in good condition. 
• Avoid wearing sweet-smelling perfume and opt for unscented products. 

Due to the imminent dangers that yellow jackets cause, if you believe that you have the presence of a nest on your property, call the professionals at Owyhee Environmental today. Whether you're worried about stinging insects or other unwanted pests, we have the solution for you. Reach out to us today to learn more about our stinging insect control and recurring pest control plans.