Mansfield, Ohio's most wanted pests

As the Carousel Capital of Ohio, Mansfields residents can enjoy the historic charm of downtown, coupled with the outdoor beauty of being nestled near the foothills of the Allegheny Plateau. Numerous parks and scenic bike trails also encourage residents to spend time in nature. While these outdoor activities provide great summer fun, being one with nature does come at a price. With warmer weather comes an increase in pest activity, including stinging insects such as bees, wasps and hornets.

Truly Nolen of Mansfield helps homeowners with any stinging insect problem by accurately identifying the type of insect posing the threat, and providing a range of treatment options to safely address the issue. In addition to preventative methods such as swarm and scout traps, Truly Nolen also removes colonies to prevent future infestations from taking place.

Stinging insects generally do not attack humans unless in self defense, however, large enough swarms that are in close proximity to homes, schools or work, can endanger those nearby.

In fact, the National Pest Management Association cites, Stinging insects like bees and hornets send more than 500,000 people to the emergency room each year. The most serious sting-related reactions come from insects that belong to the Apidae family (honey bees and bumble bees) or Vespidae family (yellowjackets, yellow hornets, white faced hornets, and paper wasps).

With some basic, yet important knowledge and awareness, residents of Mansfield can practice safety measures including cautionary next steps should you be stung. Here, Truly Nolen outlines how to identify some of the more common stinging insects, their habits and general degree of aggressiveness. However, if homeowners suspect an infestation or see a growing number of stinging insects near their property, contacting a Truly Nolen of Mansfield pest expert is the safest way to remove the threat.

Stinging Insects 101

YELLOW JACKETS

Identification

Yellow jackets are one of the most aggressive in the stinging insect species. Typically, yellow jackets are between 3/8 to 5/8 of an inch with yellow and black heads and black bodies with yellow bands.

Habits

Considered a social insect, yellow jackets live in large colonies or nests and are active in late summer. Usually nesting in the ground, yellow jackets are known to be spotted outdoors, near sources of food as they feed on proteins and sweets.

Degree of aggressiveness

Yellow jackets are extremely territorial and will not hesitate to sting if they feel that their hive is threatened. They also tend to cause severe allergic reactions as they sting repeatedly.

BALDFACED HORNET

Identification

Bald faced hornets tend to be larger with black bodies and white faces. Shaped almost like a wasp, the queen bald faced hornets can be as much as ¾ in size.

Habits

Just like yellow jackets, bald faced hornets are also social insects, but living in colonies that are significantly smaller. Bald faced hornets will not reuse their nests each season, instead opting to inhabit a different one each time.

Degree of aggressiveness

With smooth stingers containing venom designed to make its victim sting and itch, bald faced hornets are aggressive and are known to sting repeatedly. Homeowners should never attempt to remove a bald faced hornet nest on their own.

PAPER WASPS

Identification

Paper wasps are brown in color with yellow or reddish markings. Their name is derived from the paper like substance used to construct their nests. They can range in length of 5/8 to 3/4.

Habits

Occupying small colonies, paper wasps are not as social as yellow jackets or hornets and will often find their way indoors. They prefer to eat nectar and small flies.

Degree of aggressiveness

Paper wasps are generally more docile but can deliver a painful sting if they are disturbed.

BUMBLEBEES

Identification

Oval with black bodies and yellow stripes, they are easily recognizable by their size, typically 1 inch in length.

Habits

Bumblebees are best known for their loud buzzing sound as well as their aggressive nature when it comes to defending their nests.

Degree of aggressiveness

Bumblebees are chasers! They can often swarm after a nest invader for a long time and deliver a very painful sting.

Youve been stung? Heres what to do next:

Types of Reactions

If you have had the misfortune of being stung by one of these stinging insects, it is important to recognize the type of reaction you may experience. A local reaction to a bee sting for example, could include swelling and redness of the area that was infected. These reactions are generally not life threatening and will disappear within a few hours.

A systemic reaction can start out similar to a local reaction, but within 15-20 minutes more severe symptoms will start to show including difficulty breathing and hives. Some systemic reactions can even be fatal as in the rare cases of more extreme allergic reactions such as anaphylaxis. Here, symptoms can include nausea, vomiting, dizziness and tightness in the throat. Individuals or those nearby should call 911 if they begin to experience any of those symptoms.

Yellowjacket, Hornet & Wasp Stings

• Immediately clean the area with soap.
• Use cold water or a cold compress.
• Antihistamine and hydrocortisone creams are useful to alleviate redness and itching.

Bee Stings

• While the above recommendations can apply to a bee sting, because of the barbed stingers it is important to pay close attention to removing it. The stingers detach from the bees body and can get lodged in the skin, leaving behind the venom.
• If possible, elevate the area that has been stung.
• Immediate removal of the stinger is necessary to avoid further release of the venom and avoid getting infected.
• If you have removed the stinger and still experience pain, swelling or fever even days after, than seeking medical help is important to delay an onset of infection.

The National Pest Management Association outlines general rules for avoiding and removal of stinging pests, especially if they begin to become a problem:

• The first rule when a stinging insect approaches is to STAY STILL. Remember, people who keep bees professionally wear protective clothing and ALWAYS MOVE SLOWLY.
• Be careful when you shake out clothing that has been left on the ground. Wasps or other stinging insects could be in the folds of the clothing.
• Avoid orchards in bloom, clover fields, and any areas that are abundant with flowers. Dont wear dark clothing, and dont wear perfume or hair sprays.
• Do not mow lawns, trim hedges or prune trees during seasons in which honeybees and wasps are plentiful.
• Keep a bee cloth (even in an enclosed car) to trap frightened insects before they sting, or keep an insecticide spray in the glove compartment of your car.
• Caution children about not throwing stones or sticks at insect nests.

Residents of Mansfield are encouraged to enjoy their time outdoors, but knowing how to quickly identify certain stinging insects can possibly help to avoid being stung. Truly Nolen is licensed and trained to deal specifically with the delicate task of handling stinging insects. Homeowners should never attempt to remediate these problems on their own, instead, contact your local Mansfield Truly Nolen branch at (419) 520-9290to provide immediate treatment.