A Simple Guide to Preventing Stinging Pests

Summary: Stinging insects are more active in warm weather, so we’re about to enter their busiest season. This blog gives 12 easy yet impactful ways to prevent stinging insects throughout the summer. Green Pest Services provides reliable stinging pest control all year long.

Stinging insects should be the unofficial mascot for summer. They’re such a nuisance in every region that wasp control services are a dime a dozen! Nest removal are always best left to the professionals since they have the proper equipment and training to safely complete the task.

As for prevention, there are a lot of easy ways that you can prevent these pests from taking over your yard and ruining your summer. Let’s talk about the 12 most efficient ways to keep stinging pests away from your yard and home this season.

Cover Food & Drinks

Stinging pests — especially yellow jackets — love sugary and protein-heavy foods. During your outdoor parties and BBQs, keep all dishes covered with mesh domes or other coverings. Store leftovers in airtight containers before they have the chance to become pest food. Use drink covers or lidded cups for all drinks to keep these pests from going for a swim.

Seal Entry Points

Stinging pests are alarming enough in the yard, but indoors? That’s a nightmare! Keep them out by inspecting your house for new cracks and gaps. Seal any that you find with waterproof caulk. Also, check the screens, weather stripping, and seals on all doors and windows. If any of these are loose or ripped, replace it immediately. Keep an eye out for lone stinging insects. Where there’s one, there’s likely a hundred more nearby.

Avoid Strong Scents

Certain scents are appealing to wasps and yellow jackets if they smell like their food sources. If you’re going to spend a lot of time outside, don’t use flowery or sweet-smelling perfumes, lotions, colognes, or hair products beforehand. This is also why you may not want to keep flowers in the middle of your outdoor seating area. You don’t want to invite these pests to the party!

Prepare for Outdoor Activities

There’s no shortage of fun in the great outdoors, but angry stingers can ruin it all. Wear a thin long-sleeved shirt, pants or leggings, and closed-toe shoes to protect your skin from stinging pests (and bloodsucking bugs!). Apply repellent that has DEET to your exposed skin — not your face — beforehand. Also, watch your step: yellow jackets like to nest underground.

Use Proper Trash Maintenance

Since stinging pests need protein and sugar, they’re drawn to trash cans full of our food scraps. Make sure all garbage is contained in the outdoor trash cans, and keep the lids closed at all times. During outdoor parties, place a lidded trash can or two around the yard for your guests. All used napkins, paper plates, and utensils need to be efficiently thrown away.

Clean Spills Immediately

This is important both indoors (for ants) and outdoors (for stingers), since pests will happily settle for residue as a food source. Use your antibacterial cleaner of choice to wipe up crumbs and spills soon after they happen. If you dine outside often, clean the table or counter after each meal. Rinse out aluminum cans and bottles before recycling them.

Remove Old Nests

While wasps don’t reuse an old nest, it may encourage them to build the new nest in the same area. Once the colony dies in the fall, the queen leaves to overwinter in a safe place. Late fall through winter is the best time to remove old nests. After making sure the nest is completely abandoned, use utility gloves and an aerosol wasp spray to remove the old nest. Never try to remove an active nest yourself (more on this later).

Use Precautions for Yard Care

Before setting out to complete your yard chores, make sure you have the right equipment. Use durable gloves when handling any plants and trees. Wear closed-toe shoes and watch out for yellow jacket nests. On that note, check your yard for any nests before you start. If you find an active nest, contact your local pest control for removal.

Tidy Up the Yard

Once you’re prepared (based on the previous section), it’s time to clean up the yard. A messy yard makes it easy for stinging pests to build out their nests without being noticed. On a regular basis, mow the lawn and trim the plants, shrubs, and tree branches. Remove leaf litter and natural debris from the soil. Clean your patio furniture, checking each piece for hidden nests.

Check for Nests

We’ve mentioned this a few times already, but it’s worth saying in its own section. These pests work fast as their numbers grow throughout the summer. A huge wasp nest means that the colony has been there for a while. The location depends on the species, but the general hotspots include the eaves, shed, tree branches, tree cavities, fence, shrubs, and wall cavities.

We cannot emphasize this enough: if you find an active nest, do not try to remove it yourself. These pests are territorial and aggressive. When someone disturbs their nest, the workers emit an “alarm” pheromone (scent chemical) to rally the troops. That’s why we strongly suggest that every wasp nest should be treated by a trained professional.

Store Pet Food Properly

Did you know that yellow jackets love dry pet food? These pests, also called “meat bees”, love the protein that comes from dry dog or cat food. Protect your furry friend by feeding them in a spot safe from stinging pests. Don’t leave their dish out for too long; these pests will even eat the food residue. Store the dish and the actual food in an airtight container, like a clean trash can.

Stay Calm

Above all else, the most important point to remember with stinging insects is that staying calm is best. When we freak out and act erratically near a colony, the bugs get agitated and prepare to attack the threat. Stay calm, move slowly near a nest, and don’t do anything to disturb the pests.

This is especially important for people who are allergic to stinging insects. If anyone in your home is allergic, use extra caution near wasps and bees. Anaphylaxis, a severe allergic reaction, occurs in a small percentage of people within the first ten minutes of being stung. Avoid the risk by calmly evading the nest and contacting pest control for efficient removal.

Keep the Stings Away with Green!

Whether or not anyone in your household is allergic to stinging insects, these pests can be intimidating. That’s why the technicians of Green Pest Services are trained in the safest, most efficient treatment methods. Your stinging pests don’t stand a chance against us.

We are dedicated to protecting your home from pests all year long. We create a customized treatment plan for every customer in order to target every current pest issue and prevent future ones. For a free quote on our reliable services, contact our team today!

Citations

5 stinging insects and how to avoid them. (n.d.). Insight Pest Solutions. Retrieved June 13, 2025, from https://insightpestnorthwest.com/5-stinging-insects-and-how-to-avoid-them/

Buzz off: How to protect yourself from stinging insects. (n.d.). Pest World. Retrieved June 13, 2025, from https://www.pestworld.org/news-hub/pest-articles/buzz-off-how-to-protect-yourself-from-stinging-insects/

[Stinging insects] Wasp watch. (2009, September 15). Pest Control Technology. Retrieved June 13, 2025, from https://www.pctonline.com/article/-stinging-insects–wasp-watch/