Summer is coming and as the weather changes, so to does the life cycle of many insects local to the Sacramento area, especially wasps. In the heat of summer wasps are at their peak and as temperatures continue to rise you have likely started to see wasps emerging around town.

So what exactly can you expect from wasps over the course of the summer and, as a homeowner, how can you deal with them and their nests if they start to become a problem? Here is some basic information about the life cycle of wasps over the summer, and some essential tips for tackling any potential issues.

When do wasps arrive?

Like many insects the wasp life-cycle is tied to the weather. Rising temperatures cause hibernating queens to awaken, however if the winter is cut short and they come out too soon there may not be enough food available to sustain them. Though it doesn’t always work out well for the wasps, watching the weather can often be a good indicator for when to expect wasps to start popping up. It’s usually safe to say that by the time June arrives in Northern California the wasps will have started sending works out to begin building up their nest.

How to tell if you have a nest in or near your home:

Seeing wasps isn’t always enough to know if wasps have set up base nearby as workers can easily travel to find food or materials for next building. What you need to keep an eye out for are wasps regularly flying near or around sheltered areas (such as gutters, eaves, wall cavities, sheds, garages, or roof spaces).

If you see wasps congregating in an area it is best to investigate early on as they are easier to deal with before their nest is fully build in the peak of summer.

If you suspect that wasps have taken hold around your home it is possible to carefully check the suspected area yourself, however this is not really advisable as you don’t know where the nest might be or how easy it would be to disturb it. Unless you can easily spot the nest, use wasp flight paths to predict their location and schedule a free inspection with a professional at Fast Action Pest Control to quickly eliminate the problem.