While we sometimes wish we never had to deal with them, bees, wasps, and hornets aren’t leaving Baton Rouge any time soon. These insects are crucial contributors to our local ecosystems through pollination and insect regulation. As such, they’ve developed a bit of an attitude! If you disturb their business, bees and wasps, especially the latter, can dish out painful stings. Wasps in particular are capable of stinging over and over to defend their nests. Are you wondering what you can do to protect yourself from wasp stings this summer? Read on to learn from the wasp control experts at Dugas Pest Control!

Tips to Avoid Wasp Stings

If you want to successfully avoid wasp stings, the most important strategy is trying to keep them out of your yard in the first place. You can prevent wasps from showing up on your property by doing the following:

• Be sure not to leave out sweet or protein-rich foods and drinks
• Dispose of food in sealed bins, especially soda cans or sugary foods
• Keep your lawn, plants, and trees trimmed to prevent opportunities to build hidden nests

If it’s too late and wasps have already set up shop in your yard, a different protocol becomes more important. Here are some ways to avoid stings from wasps that already live on your property:

• Move slowly and cautiously around their nests to avoid drawing attention to yourself
• Stay still if a wasp approaches you
• Don’t try to bat the wasp away, because they will use pheromone signals to call for help
• If you have to run away, do so in a straight line without waving your arms

Treating Wasp Stings

Wasps have been known to sting seemingly unprovoked. Sometimes, being in their way is enough of an offense for them to justify stinging you. If you’ve been stung, here are some ways to soothe your symptoms:

1. Use an ice pack or a cool rag as a cold compress
2. Take over-the-counter painkillers like ibuprofen to deal with pain
3. Take an antihistamine for swelling around the sting

If someone experiences nausea, faintness, difficulty breathing, or swelling of the face and mouth shortly after a wasp sting, call an ambulance. These are signs of anaphylaxis, which is a serious form of allergic reaction.

Professional Wasp Nest Removal in Baton Rouge

It’s important to never try to get rid of wasp nests on your own. Wasp nests are notorious for hosting a deceptively large number of individuals, so damaging or disrupting a wasp nest can lead to dozens of stings. Call your local wasp removal experts if you need to get rid of a nest. Our technicians at Dugas Pest Control are trained in multiple types of safe, non-toxic wasp control practices. We can remove your nests and make sure no more are built. For a free quote, reach out today!