We encounter a wide variety of flying insects in our houses and yards. Effective flying insect management demands their accurate identification followed by the implementation of proper preventive as well as corrective measures. In this article, you will find loads of useful information related to the most common flying insects including their appearance, prevention, and removal.
Bees and Wasps: Many of you may not be aware of the fact that bees and wasps are responsible for sending over 500,000 people each year to the emergency room. However, at the same time, these flying insects play a crucial role for the environment by pollinating the fruits and vegetables consumed by us. Removal of bees and wasps can be a dangerous practice and should be performed only a professional.
Mentioned below are the most common types of bees and wasps.
- Baldfaced Hornet: These wasps have a bluish-black color and white marks on their abdomen, upper body, and face. Their nests can be up to three feet long, and are mostly found attached to bushes, trees, and buildings. Baldfaced hornets are extremely protective about their nesting areas.
- Bumble Bees: They have a body length of about one inch, and their hair-covered bodies have black and yellow stripes. Their preferred nesting places include burrows on or near the ground. In order prevent nesting; remove all materials they may use for this purpose.
- Carpenter Bees: They are almost similar to bumble bees in appearance. However, yellow hairs are found only on the upper front portion of their body. Their abdomen can be purple metallic, green, or blue-black in color. Carpenter bees prefer being close to different wooden structures. These pests can be kept away by staining and painting wood.
- European Paper Wasps: Black and white in color with yellow stripes, these wasps are extremely common around homes. Their nests are commonly found hanging from overhangs of homes and tree branches. These wasps are about one inch long.
- Yellow Jackets: Very close to hornets in terms of appearance, yellow jackets have black and yellow stripes in their abdomen. They nest in underground burrows, holes inside the walls, or hollow logs.
- Honey Bees: These are social insects that build hives in different types of man-made structures and hollow trees. They are responsible for the pollination of some of the most important crops. Honey bees can be extremely aggressive if they are disturbed.
Boxelder Bugs: As the name suggests, these insects are found on and near Boxelder trees. They thrive during the summer months and feed on seeds, flowers, and leaves. Boxelder bugs are quite harmless because they don’t sting or bite. However, secretion from their bodies can leave stains on drapes, furniture, and clothing. It has been observed that Boxelder bugs are attracted towards homes with lots of sunlight and western or southern exposure. As the first line of defence, make sure there are no Boxelder trees in your house. If there is a tree in your neighbour’s property, fix all the cracks, holes, and crevices in your house with a good quality caulk.
Flies: Flies are found in a wide range of habitats and they there can be a significant variation in lifestyle and appearance amongst different fly species. In addition to being a nuisance, they are also the carriers of serious diseases such as typhoid, diarrhoea tuberculosis, dysentery, and many other food borne illnesses. The most common fly species include blow flies, cluster flies, drain flies, fruit flies, house flies, and phorid flies.
Some of the prevention tips that you may follow are
- Keep your doors and windows close, whenever possible. Use mesh screen on all your doors and windows.
- Ensure that all the garbage lids are closed and there is no trash inside the house.
- Use of insecticides
- Use of ultraviolet light traps
Ladybug: These insects are found in many different colors including yellow, shiny black, orange, red, or brown, with dark spots and markings. Though they are beneficial in general, ladybugs can become a bother because they tend to look for shelters in buildings. Sealing the cracks around the doors, windows, siding, and other openings is the best way to keep these insects out of home. If you already have ladybugs in the house, remove them by using a vacuum.
Mosquitoes: Mosquitoes are one of the most harmful flying insects because they are the carriers of several critical illnesses. Areas with warm temperatures and high rainfall are preferred dwelling places for them. One of the best ways to reduce mosquito population around your house is to eliminate standing water in plastic covers, buckets, old tires, rain gutters, and other containers. Also, the water in the potted plant trays, rain barrels, wading pools, fountains, and birdbaths must be changed once every week.
Stink Bugs: Stink bugs are found in different shades of brown, and have white stripes along the abdomen, antennae, and legs. These flying insects are seen in large numbers in warm, sunny, and reflective surfaces. They often infiltrate homes inadvertently in fall, while looking for warm places. In most instances, they enter homes through cracks near the door and window frames, chimneys, or air vents. Stink bugs can be kept away by sealing all the cracks and placing wire screens over all the openings.
If you notice any flying insect at your home, contact us immediately. Please remember that the removal of these pests can sometimes be extremely dangerous. At Vectothor, we have a wealth of experience in managing all types of flying insects. Get in touch with our experts today to discuss your problem.
